I was stunned when I came across an article on AOL talking about how lifestyle changes can actually prevent up to 340,000 colorectal cancer cases each and every year.
According to the World Cancer Research Fund, if more Americans exercised regularly, ate healthily, and reduced their alcohol intake, over 300,000 colon cancer cases could be prevented annually. Dr. Tim Byers, associate deal for the Colorado School of Public Health, stated, "The Expert Report found a convincing link between excess body fat and risk of several cancers. So we looked at data from U.S. surveys to find out how much of the population is overweight and obese. We then worked out the percentage of those specific cancers that would be prevented if everyone in the U.S. maintained a healthy weight. We did the same thing for diet, and for activity levels."
The results? That lifestyle changes could reduce colon cancer by 45%. The most important thing to consider when changing your lifestyle to reduce the risk of colon cancer? Obesity control! Keeping yourself out of the obese category can significantly help to reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer in your life.
(Picture Credit: just4moms.net)
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