Lifestyle Modifications to Reduce Cancer Risk
Nearly everyone I know has been impacted by cancer, whether they had the diagnosis themselves or knew a loved one, co-worker, or close friend with cancer. As a previous hospital dietitian, I also encountered and counseled several patients dealing with cancer.
While genetics, smoking, and other lifestyle factors affect your risk of cancer, diet continues to take precedence in the prevention of cancer. A recent study shows that following the AICR Cancer Prevention Recommendations cuts the risk of breast, colorectal, and lung cancers.
The AICR has 10 cancer prevention recommendations that are rooted in strong research from 18 different observational studies. The risk of the top three cancers (breast, colorectal, and lung) can be reduced with even a few of these lifestyle recommendations (1).
Even for each one-point increase in adherence score (following the recommendations), the authors found:
11 percent lower risk of breast cancer
12 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer
8 percent lower risk of lung cancer
Below are the 10 recommendations:
Achieve a healthy weight. Unfortunately, being overweight or obese raises your risk of certain cancers, including breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer. Seek the help of a registered dietitian to help you reach a realistic, healthy weight (2).
Stay active. Regular physical activity aids in weight management and has been found to reduce the risk of cancer. Find an activity you love and keep it up (3).
Include more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans in your diet. Time and time again, plant-based foods have been found to reduce the risk of cancer. Eating more plants helps protect against several cancers of the digestive tract in particular (4).
Reduce your intake of fast food and highly processed food high in fats and sugars. Make sure your food has “food” in it. Fast food and ultra-processed convenience food and snacks are higher in sugar, fat, and salt but lower in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. These foods are also calorie-dense, which increases the risk of weight gain.
Cut back on red and processed meat. “More plants, less cow” is a mantra I use often. Red and processed meats have been linked with several types of cancer, particularly those of the gastrointestinal tract. They are also linked with higher rates of heart disease (5).
Limit sugary drinks. A lemonade now and then won’t lead to cancer. However, excessive intake of sugary beverages may lead to weight gain and obesity, which does raise cancer risk. Try flavored seltzer water instead!
Be sober curious. Studies to date do not show many health benefits of alcohol consumption. Even moderate intake has been linked with depression, dementia, hypertension, and breast cancer (6).
Eat food (not supplements) to prevent cancer. Supplements may seem like an easy fix to get more vitamin C or beta-carotene in your diet, but they have not been shown to prevent cancer, and in some cases, may increase cancer risk (7). Include more fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods in your diet for antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber to prevent cancer.
Moms: breastfeed your babies if you’re able. In addition to antibodies being passed on to your newborn, breastfeeding has been found to be protective for the mother. It’s also less expensive than baby formula (8).
If diagnosed with cancer, follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations if possible. Chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery may seem ominous for someone with a cancer diagnosis. But these treatments also save lives. Discuss your options with your healthcare team to see what’s right for you.
Lisa Andrews, MEd, RD, LD
References:
2. Kim DS, Scherer PE. Obesity, Diabetes, and Increased Cancer Progression. Diabetes Metab J. 2021 Nov;45(6):799-812. doi: 10.4093/dmj.2021.0077. Epub 2021 Nov 22. PMID: 34847640; PMCID: PMC8640143.
3. Friedenreich CM, Ryder-Burbidge C, McNeil J. Physical activity, obesity and sedentary behavior in cancer etiology: epidemiologic evidence and biologic mechanisms. Mol Oncol. 2021 Mar;15(3):790-800. doi: 10.1002/1878-0261.12772. Epub 2020 Aug 18. PMID: 32741068; PMCID: PMC7931121.
4. Zhao Y, Zhan J, Wang Y, Wang D. The Relationship Between Plant-Based Diet and Risk of Digestive System Cancers: A Meta-Analysis Based on 3,059,009 Subjects. Front Public Health. 2022 Jun 3;10:892153. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.892153. PMID: 35719615; PMCID: PMC9204183.
5. Ubago-Guisado E, Rodríguez-Barranco M, Ching-López A, Petrova D, Molina-Montes E, Amiano P, Barricarte-Gurrea A, Chirlaque MD, Agudo A, Sánchez MJ. Evidence Update on the Relationship between Diet and the Most Common Cancers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2021 Oct 13;13(10):3582. doi: 10.3390/nu13103582. PMID: 34684583; PMCID: PMC8540388.
6. Barbería-Latasa M, Gea A, Martínez-González MA. Alcohol, Drinking Pattern, and Chronic Disease. Nutrients. 2022 May 7;14(9):1954. doi: 10.3390/nu14091954. PMID: 35565924; PMCID: PMC9100270.
7. Kordiak J, Bielec F, Jabłoński S, Pastuszak-Lewandoska D. Role of Beta-Carotene in Lung Cancer Primary Chemoprevention: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression. Nutrients. 2022 Mar 24;14(7):1361. doi: 10.3390/nu14071361. PMID: 35405977; PMCID: PMC9003277.
8. Qiu R, Zhong Y, Hu M, Wu B. Breastfeeding and Reduced Risk of Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Comput Math Methods Med. 2022 Jan 28;2022:8500910. doi: 10.1155/2022/8500910. PMID: 35126640; PMCID: PMC8816576.