Be thin to cut cancer - World Cancer Research Fund report

reposted from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7069914.stm

Be thin to cut cancer, study says

A no no: people should try to avoid bacon, the study urges

Even those who are not overweight should slim down if they want to cut their risk of cancer,

a major international study - Food, Nutrition,
Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a global Perspective, has claimed.

The World Cancer Research Fund WCRF carried out the largest ever inquiry into lifestyle and cancer, and issued several stark recommendations.

They include

not gaining weight as an adult, avoiding sugary drinks and alcohol, and not eating bacon or ham.

Everyone must also aim to be as thin as possible without becoming underweight.

People with a Body Mass Index (BMI), a calculation which takes into account height and weight, of between 18.5 and 25, are deemed to be within a "healthy" weight range.

Cancer is not a fate, it is a matter of risk, and you can adjust those risks by how you behave. It is very important that people feel that they are in control of what they do Professor Martin Wiseman Report author Calculate your BMI Do tough targets work?

But the study says t

heir risk increases as they head towards the 25 mark, and that everyone should try to be as close to the lower end as possible.

There is no new research involved in this document: the panel examined 7,000 existing studies over five years.

The result, they say, is the most comprehensive investigation ever into the risks of certain lifestyle choices.

RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE: Limit red meat Limit alcohol Avoid bacon, ham, and other processed meats No sugary drinks No weight gain after 21 Exercise every day Breastfeed children Do not take dietary supplements to cut cancer

They see body fat as a key factor in the development of cancer, estimating its significance to be much higher than previously thought.

The report's authors say they have produced a list of recommendations, not "commandments".

"But if people are interested in reducing their cancer risk, then following the recommendations is the way to do it," said Professor Martin Wiseman.

"Cancer is not a fate, it is a matter of risk, and you can adjust those risks by how you behave. It is very important that people feel that they are in control of what they do."

Making cuts

However, two-thirds of cancer cases are not thought to be related to lifestyle, and there is little people can do to prevent the disease in these circumstances.

READ THE FINDINGS Food, activity and prevention of cancer report [11.9MB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here

Nevertheless,

more than three million of the 10 million cases of cancer which are diagnosed across the world each year could be prevented if the recommendations were followed,

Professor Wiseman indicated.

In the UK alone, there are 200,000 new cases of cancer each year.

Cancers of the colon and breast are some of the most common forms of the disease, and the report says the evidence is "convincing" that body fat plays a key role in the development of these tumours.

The report also links the kind of food consumed to cancers, especially colorectal ones.

In particular, researchers say people should stop eating processed meats, such as ham, bacon and salami, and limit the consumption of red meat to 500g a week - although this still means you could eat, for instance, five hamburgers each week.

Alcohol, red meat and bacon in moderation will do us no harm, and to suggest it will is wrong Karol Sikora Cancer specialist Send us your comments

From a cancer perspective, all alcohol should be avoided, although researchers accepted drinking small amounts could have protective benefits for other diseases.

The recommendation is therefore

no more than two drinks a day for a man, and no more than one for a woman, slightly less than current UK government guidelines.

Sugary drinks meanwhile should be avoided, as these make you fat, and fruit juice consumption should also be reduced.

The report is also the first to urge breastfeeding as a means to protect against cancer, arguing that it may reduce breast cancer in the mother and prevent obesity in the child - although this has not been proven.

Cancer specialist Professor Karol Sikora said: "The educational message for the public should be that there are healthy diets and unhealthy diets but we should keep everything in perspective and not suggest rigid avoidance.

"Alcohol, red meat and bacon in moderation will do us no harm, and to suggest it will is wrong."

Antonia Dean, a specialist at Breast Cancer Care, said: "it is notoriously difficult to examine the potential role of diets or other lifestyle factors on breast cancer, as it is hard to isolate specific influences or establish how they might interact with each other.

"It is important that women keep the report findings in perspective - after gender, the highest known risk factor in relation to breast cancer is age, with 80 per cent of cases occurring in women over the age of 50."

Links:

Cancer Research UK

Have your Say at the BBC

Georgina Street BMI

BMI Calculator for Child and Teen: Results on a Growth Chart
	Information Entered for Georgina Street Age: 13 years 0 months Sex: Girl Birth Date: October 10, 1994 Height: 4 feet 11 inch(es) Date of Measurement: October 28, 2007 Weight: 88 pounds
	Results
	Based on the height and weight entered, the BMI is 17.8, placing the BMI-for-age at the 36th percentile for girls aged 13 years 0 months. This teen has a healthy weight.
	What does this mean? What should you do? About Growth Charts Body mass index-for-age percentiles: Girls, 2 to 20 years
	underweight, less than the 5th percentile healthy weight, 5th percentile up to the 85thpercentile at risk of overweight, 85th to less than the 95th percentile overweight, equal to or greater than the 95th percentile
	What does this mean? BMI is calculated using your child’s weight and height and is then used to find the corresponding BMI-for-age percentile for your child’s age and sex. BMI-for-age percentile shows how your child’s weight compares to that of other children of the same age and sex. For example, a BMI-for-age percentile of 65% means that the child’s weight is greater than that of 65% of other children of the same age and sex. Based on the height and weight entered, the BMI is 17.8, placing the BMI-for-age at the 36th percentile for girls aged 13 years 0 months. This teen has a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight throughout childhood and adolescence may reduce the risk of becoming overweight or obese as an adult.
	What should you do? Regardless of the current BMI-for-age category, help your child or teen develop healthy weight habits and keep track of BMI-for-age. Practice healthy weight habits Encourage children and teens to practice healthy weight habits by: Eating healthy foods Participating in physical activity on most (preferably all) days of the week Limiting television viewing For more information, see Tips to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for Children and Teens (http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/childhood/tips_for_parents.htm.) Keep track of BMI-for-age Check BMI-for-age annually, or more often if recommended by the child’s healthcare provider. Tracking growth patterns over time can help you make sure your child is achieving or maintaining a healthy weight. A single BMI-for-age calculation is not enough to evaluate long-term weight status because height and weight change with growth.

	About Growth Charts See the following example of how some sample BMI numbers would be interpreted for a 10-year-old boy.

Dominic Street BMI

reposted from: http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnpabmi/Calculator.aspx?CalculatorType=English

Calculator for Childrens BMI

BMI—Body Mass Index

BMI Calculator for Child and Teen: Results on a Growth Chart Information Entered for Dominic Street Age: 16 years 11 months Sex: Boy Birth Date: November 12, 1990 Height: 5 feet 4 inch(es) Date of Measurement: October 28, 2007 Weight: 126 pounds Results Based on the height and weight entered, the BMI is 21.6, placing the BMI-for-age at the 56th percentile for boys aged 16 years 11 months. This teen has a healthy weight. What does this mean? What should you do? About Growth Charts Body mass index-for-age percentiles: Boys, 2 to 20 years underweight, less than the 5th percentile healthy weight, 5th percentile up to the 85thpercentile at risk of overweight, 85th to less than the 95th percentile overweight, equal to or greater than the 95th percentile What does this mean? BMI is calculated using your child’s weight and height and is then used to find the corresponding BMI-for-age percentile for your child’s age and sex. BMI-for-age percentile shows how your child’s weight compares to that of other children of the same age and sex. For example, a BMI-for-age percentile of 65% means that the child’s weight is greater than that of 65% of other children of the same age and sex. Based on the height and weight entered, the BMI is 21.6, placing the BMI-for-age at the 56th percentile for boys aged 16 years 11 months. This teen has a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight throughout childhood and adolescence may reduce the risk of becoming overweight or obese as an adult. What should you do? Regardless of the current BMI-for-age category, help your child or teen develop healthy weight habits and keep track of BMI-for-age. Practice healthy weight habits Encourage children and teens to practice healthy weight habits by: Eating healthy foods Participating in physical activity on most (preferably all) days of the week Limiting television viewing For more information, see Tips to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for Children and Teens (http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/childhood/tips_for_parents.htm.) Keep track of BMI-for-age Check BMI-for-age annually, or more often if recommended by the child’s healthcare provider. Tracking growth patterns over time can help you make sure your child is achieving or maintaining a healthy weight. A single BMI-for-age calculation is not enough to evaluate long-term weight status because height and weight change with growth. About Growth Charts See the following example of how some sample BMI numbers would be interpreted for a 10-year-old boy.

---

This information was printed from CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity (DNPAO) website http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnpabmi/Result.aspx?&dob=11/12/1990&dom=10/28/2007&age=203&ht=64&wt=126&gender=1&method=0&inchtext=0&wttext=0

Obesity 'as bad as climate risk'

reposted from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7043639.stm

Obesity 'as bad as climate risk'

Alan Johnson said a "cultural and societal shift" was needed

The public health threat posed by obesity in the UK is a "potential crisis on the scale of climate change", the health secretary has warned.

Alan Johnson said the magnitude of the problem was becoming clear for the first time and "it is in everybody's interest to turn things round".

Details have emerged of a government study which says half the population could be obese within 25 years.

Ministers are drawing up a long-term action plan to tackle obesity.

Greater efforts

The government-commissioned Foresight report is expected to report on Wednesday.

It suggests the cost of the epidemic, in terms of health care provision and lost work hours, could reach £45bn a year by 2050, according to the Observer.

Professor Klim McPherson, of Oxford University, and Tim Marsh, of the National Heart Foundation, predict that

within 15 years 86% of men will be overweight - but not necessarily obese -
(currently 73% - see figure 1 at top)
and within 20 years, 70% of women.

The study showed there had to be "further and faster" efforts beyond existing anti-obesity measures to encourage exercise and healthy eating, Mr Johnson said.

We will only succeed if the problem is recognised, owned and addressed at every level and every part of society Alan Johnson, health secretary

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has backed a long-term action plan to fight obesity, funded by money earmarked in Tuesday's Comprehensive Spending Review.

The government is also due to ask the Food Standards Agency to probe the use of unhealthy "trans-fats", which have been linked to coronary heart disease, in fast food.

But Mr Johnson said individuals also had to take responsibility for their own health as part of a "cultural and societal shift".

He said: "There is no single solution to tackle obesity and it cannot be tackled by government action alone.

"We will only succeed if the problem is recognised, owned and addressed at every level and every part of society."

Life expectancy

Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo told the BBC that a longer term view needed to be taken of the obesity issue.

She said: "The government has been doing a lot already in terms of healthy foods in schools, sports activity in schools, labelling of food, working with young people.

"This report was part of the development of our strategies.

"But... if we don't act, what will happen in health terms for individuals and for our communities in 10, 20 years' time is really something we that we need to face up to, and that means looking at everything."

Dr Colin Waine - who chairs the National Obesity Forum - said that

in terms of its impact on society, the health threat posed by obesity "will hit us much earlier than climate change".

He added:

"We are now in a situation where levels of childhood obesity will lead to the first cut in life expectancy for 200 years. These children are likely to die before their parents."

reposted from: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gn5vhYdfDa9UWNdAxIGAh80YFp6QD8SB6G800

An overweight person eats in London, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007. Britain's health secretary called Wednesday for a fundamental shift in the way the nation tackles obesity after a study said dramatic action was required to stop the majority of the population from becoming obese by 2050. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Report Warns UK of Burgeoning Obesity

By TARIQ PANJA – Oct 17, 2007

LONDON (AP) — Most British citizens could be obese by 2050, a new government report warns, http://www.foresight.gov.uk/Obesity/Obesity_final/14.pdf

and the nation's health secretary called Wednesday for a fundamental shift in the way the nation tackles obesity.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson didn't blame British eating habits, calling obesity "a consequence of abundance, convenience and underlying biology."

"As this report starkly demonstrates, people in the U.K. are not more gluttonous than previous generations and individual action alone will not be sufficient," he said in a speech to Parliament.

The obesity analysis by the Foresight program, run by the Office for Science, concludes that excess weight has become the norm and described Britain as an "obesogenic" society.

Obesity costs Britain the equivalent of $90 million a year already. Obese people have a greater risk for life-threatening conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

The number of overweight and obese people has tripled in the last 25 years. One in four adults are now obese, according to the most recent Health Study for England.

By comparison, about one-third of adults in the United States are obese; two-thirds are overweight.

The Foresight report projects that by 2050, 60 percent of British men, 50 percent of women and a quarter of children and young people will be obese unless drastic action is taken.

The study's authors, who based their findings on research from 250 experts over two years, said there was scant proof that current anti-obesity policies worked. The government pledged to draw up new plans to combat bulging waistlines.

Solutions to the problem will not be found "in exhortations to greater individual responsibility or in the futility of isolated initiatives," the health secretary said.

The report made a series of proposals:

_Earlier action when young children start gaining too much weight.

_Targeting people who are at increased risk.

_Controlling high-calorie foods.

_Changing the design of towns to make them more physically demanding.

_Increasing employer responsibility.

"There is a danger that the moment to act radically and dramatically will be missed," said Sir David King, the government's chief scientific adviser and head of the Foresight report. "It is a problem that is getting worse every year."

King and his fellow authors said obesity was inevitable in developed societies like Britain, where convenience foods, labor-saving devices, cars and sedentary work are part of daily life.

"We are facing a far worse scenario than even our gloomiest predictions," said Philip James, chairman of the International Obesity TaskForce, in a statement. "We need to respond rapidly and decisively."

On the Net:

• http://www.foresight.gov.uk/Obesity/Obesity_final/14.pdf