Can physical activity reduce the risk of cancer?
| Jul 30, 2018, 17:24 IST
A recent study has found that a healthy diet combined with physical activities and no consumption of alcohol can help reduce the overall risk of cancer including breast, prostate and colorectal cancer risks. American Association for Cancer Research found that around 35 percent of breast cancers and 45 percent of colorectal cancers could be avoided if one follows better nutritional plans.
Three nutritional recommendations were analysed; the WCRF/AICR score; the Alternate Healthy Eating Index; and the French Nutrition and Health Program-Guidelines Score, plus one relatively new index, the MEDI-LITE score, which measures adherence to a Mediterranean diet. While all the diets had shown some form of improvement in cancer risk reduction, the WCRF/AICR recommendations if developed especially with cancer reduction in mind was the most effective.
"This emphasizes the role of an overall healthy lifestyle--nutrition and physical activity and alcohol avoidance--in cancer prevention. It is, therefore, important to keep in mind that every lifestyle factor counts and it is never too late to adopt a healthy lifestyle," explained Bernard Srour, a researcher.
Three nutritional recommendations were analysed; the WCRF/AICR score; the Alternate Healthy Eating Index; and the French Nutrition and Health Program-Guidelines Score, plus one relatively new index, the MEDI-LITE score, which measures adherence to a Mediterranean diet. While all the diets had shown some form of improvement in cancer risk reduction, the WCRF/AICR recommendations if developed especially with cancer reduction in mind was the most effective.
"This emphasizes the role of an overall healthy lifestyle--nutrition and physical activity and alcohol avoidance--in cancer prevention. It is, therefore, important to keep in mind that every lifestyle factor counts and it is never too late to adopt a healthy lifestyle," explained Bernard Srour, a researcher.