Public Version - National Cancer Centre Singapore

Page B2
Looking Forward
SALUBRIS
October / November 2008
What Should I Eat To
Reduce My Risk of Cancer?
Eating is widely regarded as one of life’s basic joys. It is not easy for anyone to
change their dietary habits in response to advice about their health. However, with
increasing awareness of cancer, people are starting to pay attention to the kinds of
diet that may reduce the risks of eventually developing cancer.
We have less hard evidence on this subject than we would like, reflecting the
difficulties involved in reliably comparing dietary behaviours of people over a long
period. However, the enormous amount of data that has been reported allow us to
propose certain links between diet and cancer, as summarised in the table below:
Dietary Factors that Increase
Risk of Some Cancers
Obesity
Processed food such as canned meat or
“fast” (fried) food such as hamburgers and
french fries
Preserved (salted, cured, or smoked) food
Red meat, especially if char-grilled
Fat, especially animal fat or other
saturated fat
Excessive calories in any form e.g. sugar,
starch, cakes, chocolates, soft drinks,
beyond your daily energy requirement
Alcoholic drinks especially if more than
one per day
Food that are contaminated by fungi that
release mycotoxins (poisons produced by
fungi), or by Helicobacter bacteria, e.g.
rotten peanuts, stale meat or uncooked
meat, certain mushrooms
Chewing betel nut or tobacco
What Else Can I Do?
Exercise Regularly
Dietary Factors that Reduce
Risk of Some Cancers
Ideal body weight
Wholesome grains and fibre e.g. whole
wheat, bran, oatmeal, multigrain bread
Fruits and vegetables e.g. broccoli, cabbage,
carrots, tomatoes
White meat e.g. fish and lean poultry
(de-skinned)
Low fat food and other unsaturated fats e.g.
olive oil, omega-3 fatty acids (in fish)
Exercise daily for at least 30 mins
Folic acid found in green leafy vegetables
e.g. spinach, asparagus, kai lan, peas
and beans
Properly stored food e.g. refrigerated
Prompt disposal of food that have gone bad
Meticulous oral hygiene (including
dental flossing) to reduce bacterial growth
Many factors such as genetics, diet, lifestyle, stress and environment being the most
common have been linked to cancer. Like eating appropriately, regular exercise has
been linked to a reduced incidence of cancer. There is increasingly convincing evidence
that regular exercise may help to prevent cancer. Hence, cancer prevention would
involve targeting these factors. Studies involving diet, smoking, alcohol and obesity,
have indicated that obesity is a major risk factor of several types of cancer. Reviews
have indicated that regular physical activity reduces the risk of colon and breast
cancers. Exercise that targets the reduction of body fat causes changes in hormone level
and enhances the immune system.
Read Food Labels
It pays to scrutinise the ingredients
listed on labels. Manufacturers often
use misleading terms such as “sea
salt” instead of “salt”, or “sucrose” or
“fructose” instead of “sugar”. Products
that are labelled fat-free still contain
fat, but have to have less than 5g of
it to qualify as being “fat-free”. Here
are some numbers to remember when
reading labels and choosing products.
Low-fat:
Fat-free:
Less than 3g of fat
per serving
Less than 5g of fat
per serving
Low-cholesterol: Less than 20mg per
serving and less than
2g of saturated fat
Low-calorie:
Calorie-free:
Low-sodium:
Less than 40 calories
per serving
Less than 5 calories
per serving
140mg or less
per serving
Keep Your Child Slim
The best time to optimise dietary habits
is in childhood and adolescence. Try
to keep your children slim and active.
Avoid feeding them foods that contain
excess sugar, fat and carbohydrate, and
encourage some exercise each day. After
all, a lifetime of “healthy eating” may
reduce cancer risk by as much as 30%
to 50%, so it’s never too early to start!
Calculate Your Cancer Risk
You can estimate your risk of breast,
bowel, uterine, ovarian, or prostate
cancer by visiting the website
http://www.yourcancerrisk.harvard.edu/.