A presentation by Graham Colditz, PD, DrPH, from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri at the Union for International Cancer Control World Cancer Congress 2012 emphasized that lifestyle changes could prevent many cancers. 1/3 of cancer in high-income countries is caused by smoking. If smoking rates could be reduced to the current levels in Utah (11%), the US could see a 75% reduction in smoking-related cancers in 10-20 years. If people could maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI), in the case of cancer it is between 21-23 kg/m2, the incidence of cancer could be reduced by about 50% in 2 to 20 years. He estimated that poor diet and lack of exercise are each associated with about 5% of all cancers. He said that improvement in diet could reduce cancer incidence by 50% and increases in physical activity could reduce cancer incidence by as much as 85% in 5 - 20 years.
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