Diet and exercise could reduce cancer by a third

The number of people in the UK who develop cancer could be reduced by as much as 84,000 a year, according to experts, if they follow a healthier diet, exercise more and reduce their alcohol consumption.
According to information by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), approximately 19,000 cases of bowel cancer and 20,000 of breast cancer could be prevented with minor lifestyle changes.
Of the 351,000 new cases of cancer diagnosed in 2013 in the UK, the WCRF claim that 84,000 of those could have been prevented, through simple changes to lifestyles.
It has been well known for a while that a healthy diet and regular exercise can help reduce the risk of cancer developing. The data looked at preventable cases for 13 of the most common cancers in the UK.
The number of cases of lung cancer could be reduced by 33 per cent (15,000 cases) if people stopped smoking, according to the data. For advanced prostate cancer amongst men, case numbers were reduced by 9 per cent if they were not overweight or obese.
An increase in physical exercise and a reduction in body fat was also found to cut 38 per cent of breast cancer cases, predominantly amongst post-menopausal women.
Making more of an effort to keep healthy can have a great impact in the fight against cancer, with Dr Rachel Thompson, head of research, saying: “Even minor adjustments, like 10 to 15 extra minutes of physical activity each day, cutting down on alcohol, or limiting your intake of high calorie foods and sugary drinks, will help decrease your cancer risk.”
“There is strong evidence that being overweight or obese increases the risk of 10 cancers.”