Cancer Fears Compel Britons to Cut Down on Meat

One in 10 people in Britain have tried to cut down their meat intake following fears of developing cancer, according to a new survey.

A World Cancer Research Fund report last year said those eating two rashers of bacon and two sausages a day were at 63 pct increased risk of developing bowel cancer.

Biopsy - Introduction
Encyclopedia section of medindia explains in brief Introduction To Biopsy

The survey involving 2,124 people showed that a quarter of those questioned said they had tried to eat more fruits and vegetables as a result of media coverage of the report,

Almost 18 pct of people said they were making more effort to watch their weight, after the report described evidence linking excess weight to six forms of cancer.

Eleven percent of the respondents said that they had been trying to cut down heavy consumption of red meat, which has been linked to bowel cancer.

About Cancer in Women
Cancer is one of the frequently talked about and most feared disease that falls under the genre of lifestyle diseases that have evolved, rather rapidly, in the past two decades.

Among the over-55s, 37pct said they had tried to reduce their intake of processed meat.

However, the younger generation seemed unaffected by the report, for only 6pct trying to cut down meat consumption.

Breast Cancer - Causes, Risks, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Staging, Treatment, Prevention & Prognosis
Breast cancer is a cancer that affects the breasts or mammary glands. Early detection and lifestyle changes help in controlling breast cancer.

"This survey shows that if people are told how they can reduce their risk of cancer then many of them will make changes," BBC quoted Richard Evans, the head of communications for the World Cancer Research Fund as saying.

"However, recent market research has shown that despite the wall-to-wall media coverage of our report, many people are still unaware of how things like diet and physical activity affect cancer risk," he added.

Oral Cancer | Mouth Cancer - Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention
Oral cancer is a cancer that develops in any part of the mouth. It is more common in men over 40.

The survey also showed that nearly two in five people were trying to be more physically active, and 9pct were trying to cut down on alcohol in response to health messages.

"We recommend that people who eat a diet high in processed meats cut down and eat more fruit and vegetables, but it is also important to remember to not focus on this alone," said a spokesman for Bowel Cancer UK .

"There are many other factors that might contribute to an increased risk of bowel cancer, such as smoking and an excess of alcohol, which should not be ignored," he added.

Source-ANI
SPH