World Cancer Day 2021: According to the World Health Organisation, around 9.6 million people died because of cancer in 2018. Certain food items can lead to cancer over the long haul. Read here to know about them.
World Cancer Day: Hydrogenated oils are known to be linked to cancer
HIGHLIGHTS
- Environmental and lifestyle factors can influence your cancer risk
- Consuming processed and packaged food can be bad for your health
- Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide
World Cancer Day 2020: February 4 is observed as World Cancer Day. This day is meant to raise awareness about cancer, its causes, prevention, treatment and how to live with the condition. Our health and well-being are our most valuable asset, and our diet can significantly impact it. Some food may raise the risk of having cancer when taken regularly in an excessive amount. Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. According to some experts, one of the contributing factors to cancer is unhealthy lifestyle practices and food consumption patterns. Regular consumption of packaged food and adulterated food leads to nutritional misbalances, which can drastically affect the health of a human being.
"Environmental and lifestyle factors, including diet, is responsible for the recognised worldwide variation in tire incidence of cancer. Role of nutritional habits, genetically modified fruits and vegetables, unhealthy lifestyle behaviours and fast-foods consumption are some of the significant causes of cancer. People in the current scenario tend to consume more of canned food as it saves a lot of time utilised in cooking the food and thereby is preferred by most of the working class and young generation," says Oncologist Dr Praveen Garg.
According to the World Health Organisation, around 9.6 million people died because of cancer in 2018. Certain food items can lead to cancer over the long haul.
Also read: All About The Different Types Of Blood Cancer From Expert
World Cancer Day: Here are some foods you should avoid to reduce the risk of cancer
1. Deep fried food in reused oil: As it has always been recommended, you need to avoid or limit intake of fried food to a bare minimum. Regular consumption of these foods can increase the risk of obesity, diabetes and several other complications that can negatively affect your immune system. Eating food that is fried in oil used for frying multiple times is even more harmful, as the oil becomes carcinogenic.
2. Processed meat: Bacon, salami, pepperoni, and sausage, any meat that's been preserved or flavoured can increase your chances of getting colon cancer. If we reduce the risk of consuming such food items that have been salted, fermented, cured or smoked, the risk of having cancer is also reduced.
3. Alcohol: Regularly drinking alcohol, especially in large quantities, can increase your risk of developing cancer. According to Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, drinking alcohol can increase the risk of cancers of mouth, throat, larynx, oesophagus, colon, rectum, liver and breast cancer in women. The less alcohol you drink, the lower is your risk of cancer.
4. Red meat: Beef, lamb and pork are all red meat foods that are known to be good sources of protein. But, their consumption needs to be in moderate or limited quantities as excess consumption may increase the risk of colorectal cancer, as per the National Health Service. People who eat more than 90 gm of cooked red meat or per day, should cut down their intake to 70 gms in order to reduce the risk of this cancer, as per NHS.
In order to reduce your risk of cancer, your diet needs to include lots of fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, lentils and legumes. Quit smoking and drinking alcohol and make sure you exercise every day. Living a healthy lifestyle is one of the most effective ways of being cancer-free.
Also read: What To Do When A Cancer Patient Tests Positive For COVID-19?
(Dr Praveen Garg, Senior Consultant, Surgical Oncology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals)
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