How can unhealthy eating cause cancer

However much we might like to believe that a detox tea or a super-berry will prevent us from getting cancer, the truth is a more bitter pill: anyone can get cancer no matter what kind of lifestyle they follow, but eating healthy foods and exercising regularly is the best way to lower your risk.

And yet the truth is that just as many cancer cases are caused by poor diet as by drinking alcohol , and even more are tied to the excess body weight that comes with eating that poor diet. Roughly two out of every five cancer cases in America are preventable by a modifiable risk factor, from alcohol consumption to physical inactivity and, of course, cigarette smoking.

Of those, a new study in the journal JNCI Cancer Spectrum estimates that more than 80, at least in were attributable to suboptimal diet. So what does that actually mean? How does diet influence our cancer risk? We consume far too much sugar and red or processed meat without getting nearly enough fruit, veggies, whole grains, or dairy.

Some of those food groups have a very direct influence on our health. The fiber in fruits, veggies, and whole grains, for instance, feeds a robust gut microbiome. Processed and red meats contain various molecules that promote cancer. But other foods, like sugar, are cancer-inducing in a less direct way: they make us gain weight. People who are considered overweight can be perfectly healthy , but on average, being obese comes with increased health risks—including a higher risk of cancer.

Breast cancer survivors. Cervical cancer. Colorectal cancer. About our Cancer Prevention Recommendations. Be a healthy weight. Be physically active. Eat wholegrains, vegetables, fruit and beans. Limit 'fast foods'. Cancer trends. Worldwide cancer data. What can increase your risk of cancer? Cancer Prevention Recommendations.

Our research. UK cancer statistics. Health advice booklets. Health checks. Living with cancer. Health professionals. Healthy eating. Healthy recipes. Healthy cookbooks. Food for thought. There are some foods that are directly linked to cancer, but our overall diet is more important than these individually. Find out more about how eating less processed and red meat and fitting in more fibre can reduce the risk of bowel cancer.

There are lots of foods that we hear about in the media, causing or preventing cancer. For a lot of these, there is no scientific evidence that this is the case. Find out more about these common food questions and myths. We often hear that a healthy and balanced diet is good for us, but what does this mean? Find out more about what to put on your plate. The fraction of cancer attributable to modifiable risk factors in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the United Kingdom in British Journal of Cancer.