About 340,000 cancer cases in the United States could be prevented each year if more Americans ate a healthy diet, got regular exercise and limited their alcohol intake, according to the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF). These types of lifestyle changes could lead to significant reductions in particularly common cancers such as breast (38% fewer cases per year), stomach (47% fewer) and colon (45% fewer).
The research about how a healthy lifestyle can reduce cancer risk was released February 3 to mark World Cancer Day. The WCRF said its findings are supported by the World Health Organisation’s new Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health, a report that says that regular physical activity can prevent many diseases, including breast and colon cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Other healthy lifestyle habits that reduce the risk of cancer include quitting smoking, avoiding secondhand smoke, avoiding excessive sun exposure, and preventing cancer-causing infections, the WCRF said.