Cancer Prevention Blog

The panelists and I with Carol Smillie

Last weekend we were at Mum’s Show Live!, a new exhibition aimed at parents of primary school children. Held at Alexandra Palace in north London, the exhibition provided parents somewhere to exchange information and advice as well as listen to speakers on a variety of topics.

Many organisations were promoting their wares and visitors had the opportunity to stock up on family essentials. WCRF were there promoting our children’s programme the Great Grub Club to parents … Continue Reading

Grrr!

The last word from our ‘banana’ before Beat the Banana! on Thursday:

It’s not long now until I don my trainers and get ready to give you all a run for your money.  I hope that you’ve all been training hard – it takes real athleticism to keep up with me! And if your friends are feeling jealous about your fruity fitness, it’s not too late to join – we’re still accepting sign ups here!

Beat the Banana! takes place this coming Thursday, 16th May, in London’s Hyde Park. … Continue Reading

Can walking prevent cancer?

Many of us are used to the idea of a brisk stroll to improve our general fitness – but who knows that a 30-minute walk can help prevent cancer?

Scientists have estimated that more than 10,000 cases of breast and bowel cancer in the UK could be prevented every year through being more physically active. This is great news – or would be if people walked rather than picking up the car keys or bus pass every time they went out the … Continue Reading

Bowel cancer usually occurs in the large bowel.

Bowel cancer is the third most common form of cancer in the UK but is also one of the most preventable. Scientists estimate 47 per cent of cases could be prevented through maintaining a healthy weight, choosing a healthy diet, not drinking alcohol and being physically active.

This month is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, when various organisations try to improve recognition of the causes, symptoms, treatments and outcomes of the disease. World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) promotes the lifestyle changes people can make to … Continue Reading

Our Children’s Education Manager Sabrina Maestri manning the Great Grub Club stand at the Education Show 2013.

Last week a team of volunteers from WCRF headed to the Education Show 2013 to promote the Great Grub Club website to primary school teachers.

The conference – which took place at the NEC in Birmingham – is free to attend and offers the largest showcase of educational resources from early years all the way through to … Continue Reading

Iona in fat suit training!

Many of us know that there is a link between cancer and body fat. There is strong evidence to show that a person’s level of body fatness is directly related to their risk of getting bowel, breast, womb, pancreatic, kidney and oesophageal cancer.

Iona Taylor is a dietician and supporter of ours from Chester. She decided to draw attention to the link between cancer and weight by wearing a weighted body suit that simulates what it would be like for … Continue Reading

Too much salt increases the risk of stomach cancer

Following a rash of stories in this week’s newspapers about celebrity-chef restaurants serving up dishes laden with salt and High Street sandwich shop chains selling similarly salty produce, it will come as no surprise that this week is Salt Awareness Week.

Salt has, rightly, become one of the modern diet’s bogeymen, along with fat and sugar, because of the links between current excessive consumption levels and disease.

Although they are essential to all animal life and perhaps man’s earliest food seasoning … Continue Reading

There is promising evidence that two-day diets can be effective for some

There has been a flurry of media interest surrounding two-day diets recently, with the BBC’s Horizon featuring the 5:2 intermittent diet and the publication and serialisation of The 2-Day Diet (co-authored by WCRF grant panel member Dr Michelle Harvie).

Maintaining a healthy weight is an important way of reducing our risk of cancer and we tend to warn people away from ‘fad diets’. So, are these two-day diet plans just … Continue Reading

How many squares of chocolate can you eat for 100 calories?

What does 100 calories worth of tomatoes look like?

WCRF UK’s new 100 Calorie Gallery can help!

About the 100 Calorie Gallery

The 100 Calorie Gallery is a photo resource pack for health professionals to help explain WCRF UK’s recommendation about energy-dense foods to patients. WCRF UK recommends avoiding sugary drinks and limiting consumption of energy-dense foods (particularly processed foods high in sugar, or low in fibre, or high in fat).

There are 30 cards in the pack covering all the different food groups: vegetables … Continue Reading

Being overweight is a leading factor in a person’s level of cancer risk

Britain is the fat man of Europe and we need to do something about it – that is the underlying message in today’s report from the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and it is one we need to sit up and pay attention to.

One in four UK adults are already classed as obese – not just overweight but obese – and this figure is predicted to rise. According to the NHS, … Continue Reading