UK Biobank cohort of 287,745 people: healthy lifestyle linked to lower risk of 13 of 27 cancers
A prospective analysis with a median 11.5-year follow-up linked 4–5 healthy behaviours, versus 0–1, to lower risk of 13 cancer types. Smoking and overweight touched the most types.
Researchers analysed data from 287,745 UK Biobank participants to assess how a healthy lifestyle relates to the risk of 27 cancer types, according to a paper in the British journal of cancer nature.com
British journal of cancernature.comOpen source ↗. A healthy lifestyle score was built from five factors: smoking, alcohol, diet, physical activity and body mass index. Cancer risks were estimated with Cox models.
During a median follow-up of 11.5 years, 12,947 participants developed cancer. Adhering to 4–5 healthy behaviours, compared with 0–1, was associated with lower risks of 13 of the 27 cancer types: oral, pharyngeal, laryngeal, oesophageal, stomach, colorectal, liver, pancreatic, lung, soft tissue sarcoma, kidney, bladder and postmenopausal breast cancer. Hazard ratios ranged from 0.12 to 0.79.
The authors also calculated population attributable fractions for incomplete adherence to a healthy lifestyle. Significant fractions were found for 14 cancer types. Among the score components, smoking and overweight were associated with the largest number of cancer types.
The authors write that smoking cessation and weight control may be cancer prevention strategies to be prioritised. The study is a prospective cohort analysis and reports associations.
