NCD Watch

You Can Prevent Cancer

27 Jul 2015 (Mon)

Cancer is largely a preventable disease. Certain common cancers in Hong Kong (such as colorectal cancer, female breast cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer and stomach cancer, etc.) are caused by or associated with a core set of common, modifiable risk factors related to lifestyle. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 30% of cancer deaths could be prevented by modifying or avoiding key risk factors through adoption of a healthy lifestyle, along with other health promoting practices (such as vaccination against infections).

The following are some general cancer prevention tips:

Adoption of a healthy lifestyle

• Do not smoke and avoid secondhand smoke. Current smokers can call the Integrated Smoking Cessation Hotline of the DH at 1833 183 for free quit smoking advice and help;
• Be physically active. Adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (e.g. brisk walking, swimming slowly or cycling leisurely) or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity (e.g. jogging, fast swimming or rope jumping), or equivalent amounts throughout the week. For children and young people, they should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily;
• Have a balanced diet with at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. Eat more whole-grains or unprocessed cereals. Limit consumption of red meat. Avoid processed meats, smoked or preserved foods. Do not eat mouldy nuts, cereals or pulses;
• Do not drink alcohol. Alcohol is a cancer-causing substance. Alcohol drinkers are urged to scrutinise their own drinking habits and stop drinking completely;
• Maintain an optimal body weight and waist circumference. For Chinese adults in Hong Kong, aim for a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 22.9 kg/m2, and a waist circumference of less than 90 cm (~ 36 inches) for men and less than 80 cm (~ 32 inches) for women;

Other health promoting practices

• Vaccinate against the infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) to lower the risk of liver cancer and cervical cancer respectively;
• Practise safer sex (such as condom use) and avoid high risk sexual activity (such as having multiple sexual partners) to reduce the risk of getting cancers linked to sexually transmitted diseases;
• Optimise sunlight exposure but avoid excessive ultraviolet (UV) exposure to reduce the risk of getting skin cancer. When having outdoor work or recreation, wear long sleeved clothing and broad-brim hat; apply broad-spectrum (with protection against both UVA and UVB), water-resistant sunscreen products with sun protection factor (SPF) 15 or above on usually exposed skin;
• Observe occupational safety and health rules and use protective equipment or clothing properly to reduce exposure to occupational carcinogens;
• Have childbirth at an earlier age and breastfeed each child for longer duration (for women) to avoid the risk of getting breast cancer.