Worldwide cancer rates 'could be cut by 2.

8m with healthier lifestyles and diets'

Wednesday 7 September 2011 11.10 BST

World Cancer Research Fund study says disease can be widely prevented as UN prepares to hold summit to tackle soaring rates

Sedentary lifestyles, poor diets, smoking and alcohol are key factors in a quarter of the 12m new cancers each year, say experts. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters

Around 2.8m cancers worldwide could be prevented if people adopted healthier lifestyles and better diets, a report says. The huge toll of preventable cancers comes from an study published on Wednesday by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), which comes 10 days before a United Nations summit in New York that will discuss ways to tackle the soaring rates of the disease around the world. About 12m cancers are newly diagnosed each year, many of which will have some genetic or other trigger. But increasingly sedentary lifestyles, junk food, smoking and alcohol are key factors in around a quarter of them. Experts hope the UN will take a lead by setting targets for cutting deaths from the lifestyle diseases known as non-communicable diseases or NCDs which include cancer, heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Campaigners hope issues such as junk food marketing to children on television, the high salt content of food, tobacco advertising in

the developing world and alcohol prices will be addressed. "Cancer and other lifestyle-related diseases are one of the biggest challenges we face today, and the UN summit later this month is a real turning point," said Professor Martin Wiseman, medical and scientific adviser to the WCRF. "With millions of lives at risk around the world, the stakes are incredibly high. And while this is an issue facing millions globally, every day in the UK people are being diagnosed with a cancer that could have been prevented. People are still unaware that risk factors such as alcohol and obesity affect cancer risk while at the same time, from television advertising to the pricing of food, our society works in a way that discourages people from adopting healthy habits. But this summit offers the chance to look at public health issues at the international level." Cutting cancer risk 1 Keep to a normal weight. Being overweight is a risk factor in breast and other cancers. 2 Don't smoke. Smoking is the biggest cause of lung cancer. 3 Take regular exercise. 4 Drink in moderation. Alcohol is implicated in mouth, throat and bowel cancers. 5 Breast-feeding protects against breast cancer. 6 Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. 7 Eat less red and processed meat. 8 Limit salt to six grams a day. 9 Vitamin supplements do not prevent cancer. 10 Too much exposure to sun and sunbeds poses a risk of skin cancer. Source: Sarah Boseley (September 2011) Retrieved from

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/07/worldwide-cancerrates-healthier-lifestyles on November 24, 2012

SUMMARY: The article talks about how a sedentary lifestyle can trigger cancer. It also states that 2.8 million cancers can be prevented by the adoption of healthier lifestyles by the people. It is alarming how these cases of NCDs are soaring; therefore the UN has taken steps in addressing the situation. One of the things they will be discussing is the advertising of junk foods, smoking and other unhealthy practices to the people discouraging them from having a healthy lifestyle. They have also given a list of some ways to prevent the development of cancer and it mostly consists of proper diet, exercise, no smoking and everything in moderation. REACTION: It is true that cancer is incurable (so far), but it certainly is preventable. Many people have died from hypertension, Diabetes, Cancer, Heart attack and the like. These diseases have a common factor---- they are associated with lifestyle. Some of the blame may be laid on genetics but the bulk lays on lifestyle. If you know that you have a predisposition to having DM or HPN or even CA, then you would surely do your best to stay away from the triggering factors. But what we see now is that people often prefer McDonalds to a home cooked meal. People love grilled steak and French fries; Mang Juan and Coca Cola instead of bread and juice. The effects of these practices are very evident in the rising cases of morbidity and mortality from NCDs all over the world. People know that its not good, but still, the thirst for the most pleasurable to the palate is as great as ever. The only thing we can do is to use cognitive dissonance to its fullest. But then change can only happen if the desire to change comes from the person himself. Let us just hope that sooner, rather than later, people will pause and look at themselves and see if they like what they have become. After all, we are what we eat.

College of Nursing Silliman University Dumaguete City

Leadership and Management in Community Health Nursing ANNOTATED READING #2

Submitted to: Asst. Prof. Chereisle G. Pyponco

Submitted by: Lea Luz Marie D. Tan Pastor

November 2012