Take action to reduce your cancer risk this World Cancer Day

‘We Can. I Can.’  Help prevent 1 in 3 cancers by living a healthy lifestyle

This World Cancer Day, Saturday 4 February 2017, Cancer Council NSW is encouraging everyone across NSW to do their part in reducing the global impact of cancer.  

1 in 3 cases of cancer could be prevented with healthier lifestyle choices, including being physically active, eating more fruit and vegetables, cutting back on red and processed meats, cutting down on alcohol, not smoking and protecting yourself from the sun.

The theme of World Cancer Day – We can. I can. – encourages anyone, young or old, to make positive changes today to help reduce their risk of the disease. There are around 37,000 preventable cases of cancer in Australia every year[1], and this could be significantly reduced if more people took action.

With World Cancer Day falling on a Saturday this year, it’s an opportunity for people across NSW to think about the things they can do today, and moving forward, to reduce their cancer risk.

Sport is a huge part of Australian culture; why not join a Saturday social team to get active or head for a walk with friends.

Add some extra veggies to your Saturday BBQ, and consider swapping some of the red meat options for chicken or fish. And any reduction in drinking alcohol will help to reduce your cancer risk.

Recent data from Cancer Council NSW shows that while most people know that smoking cigarettes (93 per cent of community members said they were aware of this risk factor) and getting sunburnt (88 per cent) contribute to their risk of getting cancer, there is still lower awareness about what else can cause cancer.[2]

Only 40 per cent of people in NSW could identify being overweight as a risk factor for cancer. The same number recognise insufficient fruit and vegetable intake as contributing to cancer risk. Alarmingly, only a quarter of people were aware that being physically inactive or sitting too much could increase a person’s risk of getting cancer.

Preventing cancer is one of the most powerful ways that we can reduce the future impact of the disease. This World Cancer Day, we are educating and empowering the community to take control of their own health through simple, positive lifestyle changes.

To learn more about reducing your cancer risk this World Cancer Day, visit www.1in3cancers.com.au

[1] Cancers in Australia in 2010 attributable to modifiable factors, David Whiteman et al, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2015.

[2] Cancer Council NSW Community Survey on Cancer Prevention, May 2016.