It is true that a healthy lifestyle can improve one’s chances of living a long, healthy life. As if that weren’t enough to make you want to start eating healthy, researchers have found that four in 10 cancers could be prevented by living a healthy lifestyle.
Cancer research conducted in the United Kingdom pointed to smoking and unhealthy diets as the two largest contributing factors to developing cancer, BBC News reported. Cancer Research U.K. is encouraging the world’s population to consider adopting a healthier lifestyle “as a new year’s resolution.” The research group is also urging people to reduce alcohol intake and perform regular exercise to improve overall health.
Researchers hope the findings of the study will urge people to watch calories, consume fewer processed meats and less alcohol, Tech Times reported.
Between 2007 and 2011, more than 300,000 cancer cases were attributed to smoking and 145,000 were linked to unhealthy diets. Around 88,000 cases were linked to obesity and 62,200 were attributed to alcohol use.
“There are more than 200 types of cancer each caused by a complex set of factors, involving both our genes and our lifestyles,” expert on cancer prevention at the research center Linda Bauld said.
Sun damage and physical inactivity also accounted for a number of cases.
