Cancer: 6 ways to reduce your risk

Did you know almost half of Australians will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85?¹

It's a sobering statistic. While some risk factors for cancer can't be changed, such as age, sex, race, ethnicity, family history and genetics, others can.

Healthy habits can make a big difference when it comes to reducing your risk of cancer. One in 3 cancers can be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices.²

We share 6 key lifestyle factors that may help reduce your risk of cancer.

People who are overweight are at greater risk of many diseases, including diabetes, stroke and heart disease, as well as 13 types of cancer.³ Over 5,000 cancer cases in Australia each year are caused by people being overweight or obese.⁴

Extra body fat can lead to an increase in chemicals and hormones released into the body. It can also increase inflammation in the body. These altered chemicals and hormones can change how the cells in your body divide, which can increase the risk of cancer.

Maintaining a healthy weight is helped by regular exercise and eating a well-balanced diet.

Physical inactivity is one of the biggest causes of cancer in Australia.⁵

Being physically active helps reduce the risk of many different types of cancer, including breast, endometrial, colon, lung and liver cancer.⁶

Exercising can help strengthen your immune system, reduce inflammation and lower fasting insulin resistance, all of which can contribute to the development of different cancers.⁷

Cancer Council recommends doing 30 minutes of vigorous activity or 60 minutes of moderate activity, such as brisk walking, every day. If you can talk while exercising, this is classed as moderate activity. Exercise that makes you breathless is vigorous.

Small changes in your day can help increase the amount of exercise you do. Consider walking instead of driving, having stand-up meetings instead of sitting down, or getting off the bus one stop earlier and walking.

Eating a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, legumes and beans can reduce your risk of cancer.⁸ It's recommended you eat 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit each day.

While fresh foods such as fruit, vegetables and legumes have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, other foods are known to increase the risk of cancer. Eating more than 455g of red meat a week can increase your risk of bowel, lung and pancreatic cancer.⁹ Diets high in processed meats, sugar, salt and saturated fat can also contribute to a high body weight and increase your risk of cancer.⁸

If you need help with your diet, speak to your GP or an Accredited Practising Dietitian.

Drinking any alcohol increases your cancer risk. Alcohol is specifically linked to 8 different types of cancer, including breast, stomach, liver, bowel, mouth and upper throat, oesophagus and larynx cancer.¹⁰

Alcohol contains ethanol, which is a cancer-causing compound. When this is broken down in the body, it can damage your cells and cause cancer.

The Cancer Council recommends following the National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines and limiting intake to no more than 10 standard drinks a week, and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day. If you do choose to drink, the less you drink the better. To help reduce your alcohol intake, ensure you have a few alcohol-free days every week, set yourself a limit of alcoholic drinks when you do drink, and swap to low-alcohol or no-alcohol alternatives when possible.

Smoking is linked to 15 types of cancer including breast, oral cavity, pharynx, oesophagus, stomach, bowel, liver, pancreas, nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, larynx, uterine, cervix, ovary, urinary bladder, kidney, ureter and bone marrow cancer.¹⁰

If you need help to stop smoking, speak to your GP or pharmacist.

In Australia, skin cancers account for 80% of all newly diagnosed cancers.¹¹ The majority of skin cancers are caused by exposure to UV radiation from sunlight.

When the UV level is 3 or above, protect your skin by wearing clothing that covers as much of your body as possible. You should also wear SPF50 or SPF50+ sunscreen when you're outside, wear a hat, wear sunglasses that meet Australian standards, and seek shade when possible.

While these key lifestyle changes may help reduce your risk of cancer, they may also reduce your risk of other health conditions, supporting you to live a longer, healthier, happier life all round.

Cancer Council has information and support online.

Cancer Australia is a government organisation to help Australians affected by cancer and their families and carers.