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How lifestyle choices are key to reducing cancer risk
Summary
Making correct lifestyle choices, from exercising to drinking less alcohol, can reduce risk of heart diseases and cancerExercise and physical activity are good for you. Alcohol is bad for you. Both these statements are scientifically ratified, universal truths. However, for those who continue to make bad lifestyle choices, the alcohol-fuelled good times just keep on rolling. Before we get into how exactly alcohol can be a cause for cancer, here’s some good news: according to the 14th edition of the American Association for Cancer Research’s Cancer Progress Report, published in early September, overall deaths from cancer have dropped. That’s probably the only celebratory bit as the study also found a worrying trend where the number of adults under the age of 50 developing cancers, including breast and gastrointestinal cancers, has increased.
The researchers found that alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise contributed to this higher incidence of cancer among middle-aged adults. Other factors that contribute to this trend are obesity, smoking and pollution.
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All of this is bad news for Indians. While obesity is on the rise, so is alcohol consumption in the country. The work hours in India are already long and with multiple business leaders calling for unsustainably longer hours, millions of job-seekers are walking into sedentary lives every year while those holding a job aren’t left with much time to fix their already sedentary lifestyles. On global pollution indices, our cities are among the most polluted in the world all year round. But things get especially bad around winter, with Diwali and crop burning fuelling poisonous air. But while we may not have much direct control over pollution or long work hours, two factors that we can immediately address, to reduce our cancer risk, are increasing exercise and reducing alcohol consumption.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines recommend 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity per week. It’s either that, or 75-150 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity per week for adults up to the age of 64. Vaibhav Daga, head of sports sciences and rehabilitation and sports medicine consultant at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai, says that for the regular population, 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of intense weekly exercise can help them make the switch to a healthy and active lifestyle. But this is easier said than done.
Global communications and experience consultancy Dalberg’s recent State of Sports and Physical Activity (SAPA) found that 155 million adults and 45 million adolescents across India don’t get the WHO-recommended weekly physical activity. Additionally, the report claimed that only 10% of adults in India play any kind of sports, and that the number of people who play regularly is even lower. The same report states that as far as adolescents are concerned, 66% play a sport regularly. The report also found that girls and women spend 5-7 fewer hours on sports and exercise per week than boys and men and the gap is worse in urban areas. At least a third of them do not meet the WHO guidelines for physical activity, the report states.
People simply need to start exercising or playing some sport, especially those who have never worked out in their lives. They can start with something as simple as walking. “Brisk walking is one of the best exercises as it is simple, free and one of the easiest ways to get active, lose weight and become healthier," says Daga.
It is especially effective for those who have previously not been active, adds Gagan Arora, head coach and founder of Kosmic Fitness in Delhi. “Walking is also a great gateway exercise. It should be used as a stepping stone to exercises such as running, strength training and the like that will help your fitness," he adds. Exercise has added benefits beyond reducing risk of cancer. It helps improve and maintain cardiac health, bone density, flexibility, muscle mass and weight. Regular exercise also helps control blood sugar levels, maintains normal blood pressure and helps in improving immunity, thus providing a layer of protection against chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes.
As for alcohol, latest research shows that not even a little bit is good for our health. Alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency For Research On Cancer (IARC), alongside with tobacco, asbestos, and radiation. Data indicates that 50% of all alcohol-attributable cancers (in the WHO European Region) are caused by “light" and “moderate" alcohol consumption—less than 1.5 litres of wine or less than 3.5 litres of beer or less than 450 millilitres of spirits per week.
“Alcohol has been shown to significantly increase risk of cancers such as bowel cancer and breast cancer. Even small amounts can elevate this risk," points out Dr. Dattatray Solanke, consultant gastroenterologist at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. Ultimately, there’s not much you can do at an individual level about pollution or work conditions. But making positive lifestyle choices, like exercising, or drinking less alcohol, are in your own hands. The fight against cancer begins with you. It starts with exercise and better choices.
Shrenik Avlani is a writer and editor and the co-author of The Shivfit Way, a book on functional fitness.
