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Bad lifestyle changes can help prevent up to 30 percent of all cancers

A wide-reaching study conducted by Cancer Research UK found that changing bad lifestyles and habits can prevent up to 30 percent of all cancers. Noticeably, obesity was found to increase the risk of getting cancer, accounting for 6.3 percent of cancer incidence.

It was ported that some unhealthy lifestyles greatly increase the risk of developing cancer. Smoking ranks at the top of these unhealthy habits, followed by excessive weight and obesity which are associated with at least 13 kinds of cancers such as breast cancer, colon cancer, kidney cancer etc. The study pointed out that maintaining a healthy weight can reduce a 20 percent chance of getting cancer.

The third biggest threat to cancer prevention is ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sun exposure, tanning beds. People who are overexposed to UV radiation are more likely to develop skin cancers, especially melanoma.

Other bad lifestyle habits include the following: alcohol intake; low consumption of fruits and vegetables, fiber, and calcium; consumption of processed meats; and inactivity.

The study concluded that switching into healthy lifestyles can avoid up to 37.7% of cancer, equivalent to an annual reduction of around 135,000 cancer patients in the UK.