An surprising new study suggests that four in 10 cancers are caused by lifestyle choices, not by genetics or bad luck.
A groundbreaking new study reveals that when it comes to cancer, we have a lot more control over our fate than we realize. A new study published in the journal CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians indicates that four in 10 cancers in the United States are caused by lifestyle choices like poor diet and smoking, which are risks that are totally avoidable.
The biggest factors in cancer risk were cigarette smoking, obesity, alcohol consumption, exposure to second-hand smoke, consuming too much red and processed meats, and not eating enough fruits and veggies. Other factors include not enough dietary fiber, lack of calcium, poor exercise habits, exposure to ultraviolet light, and exposure to sexually transmitted diseases.
Scientists estimate that out of 1.57 million cancer cases that were reported in 2014, about 42 percent were attributed to the risk factors mentioned above. Also, 45 percent of deaths could be linked to those risk factors, with the top risk being cigarette smoke, associated with 19 percent of cancer cases and 29 percent of deaths.