Researchers have identified five lifestyle changes that could cut the risk bowel and other forms of cancer by more than twenty percent. The study published in the British Journal observed the intake of alcohol, smoking, waist circumference, diet and exercise. It has been shown that taking up just one healthy lifestyle suggestions could reduce the risk of bowel cancer.
Bowel cancer is the third most common form of cancer and second most common cause of death globally. Danish research team studied the connection between following a healthy lifestyle recommendation and risk of bowel cancer in middle-aged people. They examined more than fifty thousand men and women aged fifty to seventy, who were not formerly diagnosed with cancer over last decade.
All were asked to complete a lifestyle questioner including questions about social aspects, lifestyle habits, health and food regularity, to evaluate intake over the period of twelve months. A healthy lifestyle catalog was created using public health suggestions from World Cancer Research Fund, the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations and the World Health Organization.
This catalog include health recommendations such as physical activity for thirty minutes a day, not more than seven drinks a weeks, being non smokers, waist circumference below 34.6inch for men and below 40 inch for women and having healthy diet. During the period of follow up nearly seven hundred people were diagnosed with bowel cancer.
It was calculated by researchers that if all participants had followed one additional health recommendation then thirteen percent of bowel cancer cases could have been avoided. If they followed five health recommendations then twenty-three percent cases could have been prevented. Even self-effacing variations in lifestyle might have a considerable impact on colorectal cancer risk, said Helene Kirkegaard from the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology.
People can diminish their risk of developing bowel cancer by making simple changes to their lifestyle and diet, explained Mark Flannagan, chief executive of Beating Bowel Cancer. About four in every ten bowel cancer cases could be prevented in this way, explained Prof Martin Wiseman, Medical and Scientific Adviser for World Cancer Research Fund.