Public unaware of link between weight and cancer
Public unaware of link between weight and cancer
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Tuesday, 04, Aug 2009 12:05
The vast majority of people do not recognise the link between being overweight and the risk of contracting cancer, a new survey shows.
After smoking, being overweight or obese is one of the biggest cancer risks.
However, in a survey from Cancer Research UK of almost 4,000 people, only three per cent mentioned keeping a healthy bodyweight as something people could do to reduce their risk of cancer.
Also worryingly, seven per cent of those surveyed failed to name a single positive change people could make to prevent being diagnosed with the disease.
Commenting on the results, Sara Hiom, director of health information at Cancer Research UK, said: "Encouraging people to change their behaviour is often difficult, but the first step is to build awareness that these changes are worth making.
"We have estimated that more than 13,000 cases of cancer could be prevented each year if everyone maintained a healthy weight.
"While many people may associate weight with being healthy in general, this survey shows that most people don't link it directly with their risk of cancer, or don't know how much it can reduce their risk."
Many of those surveyed were able to establish that giving up smoking, a good diet, protection from the sun and moderating alcohol intake can have an affect on the risk of contracting cancer. But Ms Hiom said people should be more aware of the dangers of being overweight.
"It may be hard for people to make the link between obesity and an increased risk of cancer because we generally associate having the disease with being underweight. But carrying extra weight means producing more chemicals in our bodies that can cause cancer to develop," she said.
"We know it can be hard to make long-lasting changes to our lifestyles, like quitting smoking and cutting down on alcohol. But it's important that people are aware of the things that they can do - and the extent to which these changes will affect their cancer risk - so that they can make informed choices.
"Leading a healthy life with a balanced diet and plenty of exercise does not guarantee that a person won't get cancer but these healthy habits can help to cut the odds."