Cancer has become an almost universal disease. It would seem that it is impossible to protect against it. However, it turns out that a review of the lifestyle we lead can prove to be salutary for our health.
Each successive study confirms that the components of the life we lead have an indirect and sometimes direct impact on the incidence of cancer. The factors most often cited as key include smoking, body weight, physical activity, diet and alcohol, hormones, UV radiation and occupation.
Cigarette smoking is one of the most serious risk factors for cancer, accounting for approximately 28% of deaths. Globally, tobacco use has been responsible for 100 million deaths over the past century. According to statistics, half of today's smokers will die of cancer, with half of these deaths occurring in middle age.
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Obesity and overweight are another major contributor to cancers of organs such as the breast, colon, endometrium, kidney or pancreas, for example. According to studies, around 17,000 cancer cases each year are linked to abnormalities in the weight of sufferers.
People with high levels of physical activity are, in turn, less likely to develop cancer. This relationship has been found in relation to breast, colon or uterine cancer, among others
Approximately 9% of cancer cases, on the other hand, are caused by an unhealthy diet, which is often high in fat, red meat and salt, breeds a lack of fibre and often does not even meet the minimum requirement of 400-gram portions of fruit and vegetables per day. Alcohol consumption, on the other hand, is responsible for about 4% of cancers. According to studies, people who take in more than 100 grams of alcohol a day are 4-6 times more likely to develop cancer compared to occasional or no drinkers.
