A new study released by the American Cancer Society suggests that maintaining a healthy body weight, eliminating or limiting alcohol consumption (for people who drink), eating a healthy diet and being physically active can significantly reduce the number of cancer cases and deaths.

The researchers studied 30 types of cancer and 18 risk factors that can be modified through lifestyle choices, such as smoking and body weight.

Among participants who were from the United States, cigarette smoking was the leading risk factor for cancer, causing approximately 20% of all cancer cases and 30% of all cancer deaths.

The study looked at data from 2019 and found that lifestyle factors were associated with more than 7,00,000 new cancer cases and more than 2,62,000 deaths among adults aged 30 years and above.

Top Ten Risk Factors for CancerFactors identified in the new study include:

Smoking

Of the potentially modifiable risk factors evaluated in this study, cigarette smoking remains the leading contributor to cancer cases and deaths in both men and women. While this factor can be changed or managed, receipt of recommended lung cancer screening remains low among high-risk current and former smokers.

body weight

The researchers said, “We estimated that approximately 7%–8% of all cancer cases and deaths in the United States were attributable to excess body weight, 4%–5% were attributable to alcohol consumption, 4% were attributable to dietary factors (combining all assessed dietary factors), and 3% were attributable to physical inactivity.”

Alcohol use

Alcohol consumption caused 5.4% of cancer cases in men and 4.1% of cancer cases in women.

poor diet

Among dietary factors, low intake of fruits and vegetables contributes to most cancer cases and deaths.

lack of exercise

The combination of excess body weight, alcohol consumption, dietary factors and physical inactivity caused the largest proportion of all cancer cases in women (about a quarter of all cases), and was second only to tobacco smoking in men.

No cancer screening

Lack of cancer screening or suspension of cancer screenings, especially during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, led to disruptions in employment and health insurance and fear of coronavirus disease 2019, leading to an increase in cases.

Sun exposure

According to researchers, approximately 93% of skin melanoma cases and deaths in the United States are caused by UV radiation.

Several sun-protective measures are recommended to reduce the risk of skin cancer, such as limiting excessive sun exposure, wearing protective clothing, hats, and sunglasses, and regularly using broad-spectrum UVA and UVB blocking sunscreens with a sun-protection factor of 30 or higher.

Infections

HPV infection accounted for the largest proportion of cancer cases (1.8%) and deaths (1.2%) of any oncologic infection evaluated in this study.