Obesity and inactivity are now the major causes of cancer, according to the World Cancer Research Fund’s new landmark report released today.

The study, to which leading New Zealand researchers contributed, is titled ‘Diet, nutrition, physical activity and the prevention of cancer: a global perspective’. Five years in the making and based on 7000 scientific studies, it’s the largest report of its kind.

New Zealand‘s Otago University Professor Jim Mann is a key member of the expert panel which compiled the report.

“We have known for a long time that obesity is an important risk factor for cancer, but there is an overwhelming amount of additional new evidence,” he said.

“Obesity and lack of physical activity increase the risk of a whole range of cancers, including some of the commonest cancers we know. Reducing the incidence and prevalence of obesity is an absolutely critical factor in cancer risk reduction.”

The first report 10 years ago put single foods such as red meat under the spotlight. But not today, according to Professor Mann.

“Attempts to incriminate a single food are likely to lead to inappropriate diets, diets which will not necessarily protect against cancer. To the best of my knowledge, and to the best of anyone’s knowledge, there is no evidence that moderate intakes of red meat cause any harm in terms of cancer, or indeed I might say, anything else I’m aware of. Indeed, red meat is an excellent source of a whole range of nutrients,” he said.

Professor Lynn Ferguson, a nutritionist involved with the report, agrees with the balanced diet approach to reducing cancer risk.

“I’m worried about any sort of diet that cuts out any major food group because there are so many different nutrients of various sorts,” she said.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE OUR FREE NEWS ALERTS? CLICK HERE TO REGISTER