Healthy diet could stop 2.8 million getting cancer
About 2.8 million cancer cases a year are linked to diet, exercise and weight, a leading authority on the disease has claimed.So-called Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes could be prevented with improved diet and fitness, the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) believes.
In an appeal to the United Nations, which is holding a summit on NCDs on September 19th and 20th, the WCRF called the talks a 'once-in-generation' chance to avoid a health disaster as cancer cases continue rising.
Some 12 million new cases are diagnosed across the world each year and Professor Martin Wiseman of the WCRF believes that "lifestyle-related diseases" are one of the biggest problems the world faces.
"Many people are still unaware that risk factors such as alcohol and obesity affect cancer," he said.
"Our society works in a way that discourages people from adopting healthy habits."
This will be only the second time the UN has held a summit around a health issue.
