Cancer Prevention Blog

A new government TV campaign aims to encourage people to reduce their alcohol consumption.

Evidence shows that many millions of people in the UK drink more than the recommended limits on a regular basis, and many are unaware of the increased health risks. So this is a welcome initiative.

The advert, part of the Government’s healthy lifestyle initiative Change4Life, highlights the health risks associated with drinking too much alcohol, including increasing the risk of cancer. Its message is that … Continue Reading

Raising awareness: World Cancer Day 2012

Today is World Cancer Day and WCRF is happy to support the initiative and raise awareness around the world about cancer prevention.

This year we have been particularly busy helping our colleagues at the Union for International Cancer Control in promoting the target of cutting cancer and other non-communicable diseases like diabetes and heart and lung disease by 25 per cent by 2025.

Staff at our London office tried their hand at a bit of movie stardom – with a select few appearing … Continue Reading

Understanding why you crave unhealthy foods is one step towards beating them.

If you started 2012 with a resolution to lose weight or give up unhealthy foods, you may be finding it hard to keep to your good intentions.  If that’s the case, understanding why you crave certain (often unhealthy) foods at regular intervals throughout the day is one step towards beating those cravings.

Everyone experiences cravings from time to time.  But why is it that we suddenly want chocolate after a healthy meal?  Why … Continue Reading

Health professionals could provide lifestyle advice

The government recently received a report calling for GPs, nurses and other health professionals to do more to help people make lifestyle changes such as being more physically active or eating a healthier diet.

In line with WCRF’s Policy Report recommendations, NHS Future Forum calls for the promotion of healthy living to be a core part of the day-to-day business of NHS staff in a policy dubbed ‘make every contact count’.

Millions of people come into contact with health professionals … Continue Reading

Choosing less energy dense food can reduce cancer risk

Last month World Cancer Research Fund commissioned a survey by YouGov to try to assess what people really know about the number of calories in the foods they eat on a regular basis.

Today these results were published in several national newspapers – the Daily Express, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Times, Metro and i – as well as featuring on Sky News, BBC London and Heart FM.

The poll was also reported by the Press Association … Continue Reading

High blood pressure may be linked to brain cancer

Research funded by World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has featured on Sky News and in several national newspapers after a possible link between high-blood pressure and brain cancer was discovered.

Head of Education Kate Mendoza gave interviews for Sky and the study was the subject of stories in the Daily Mail and the London Evening Standard, among others.

Kate told Sky viewers how the research – by scientists in Austria, Sweden and Norway – reinforced the … Continue Reading

Candle of Hope Christmas appeal

Candle of Hope is World Cancer Research Fund’s Christmas appeal to help comfort those who have lost loved ones to cancer.

The festive season can be a particularly hard time for those who have lost family or friends. At this time of the year the sense of loss seems particularly acute and people who are touched by cancer in this way may need extra support.

We hope the campaign provides a degree of comfort on two levels. The Candle of Hope … Continue Reading

Maya Monteiro, World Cancer Research Fund’s Senior Education Manager, attended the Nutrition and Health Conference in London last week as part of the expert panel. Here is her account of the event:

I was asked to sit on an expert panel at the Nutrition and Health Conference in London on Friday, alongside two nurses, a dietitian, a nutrition manager for Waitrose and the director of communications for the Food and Drink Federation.

We were there to discuss diet and lifestyle, and how we could make the kinds of changes needed to turn the UK’s health around.

Health professionals made up the majority … Continue Reading

Exercise and cancer

We’re often asked about the link between exercise and cancer.

But we do not tend to use the term “exercise and cancer” in our publications. Instead, we talk about physical activity rather than exercise.

To some people, this might seem odd. In fact, when we use the term “physical activity” in press releases it is often changed to “exercise” in the resulting news article.

The Guardian’s coverage of our press release about how 10,000 breast and bowel cancer cases … Continue Reading

UN summit on NCDs

This morning, WCRF held a press conference in London on the United Nations (UN) Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), which takes place in New York later this month.  The summit will focus on cancer, heart disease, diabetes and respiratory disease, and is a “once-in-a-generation” chance to reduce the global burden of NCDs and avoid a future public health disaster.

Speakers at the press conference included:

Marilyn Gentry, CEO, WCRF International

Kate Allen, Director – Science and Communications, WCRF International

Martin Wiseman, Medical and Scientific … Continue Reading