Home blue About us blue About usblue Fast Facts - Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet print  Print page    fontsize Change text size
transparent
Fast Facts - Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet

Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet

Obesity General Statistics

Being overweight or obese increases the risk of cancer at several sites1 and is associated with more than 3,300 cancers diagnosed each year in Australia including:
  • 11 per cent of colon cancers (906 cases in 2003)
  • 9 per cent of post-menopausal breast cancers (521 cases)
  • 39 per cent of endometrial cancers (614 cases)
  • 25 per cent of kidney cancers (521 cases)
  • 37 per cent of oesophageal cancers (415 cases)
The prevalence of obesity in Australia has more than doubled in the past 20 years1.

1Reference: Begg S, Vos T, Barker B, Stevenson C, Stanley L, and Lopez A. (2007). The burden of disease and injury in Australia in 2003. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

South Australian Statistic
  • In 2006, 54 per cent of South Australians were overweight or obese2

  • In 2006, 75 per cent of South Australians did not meet the recommended amount of physical activity to reduce the risk of cancer 2 (60 minutes of moderate exercise or 30 minutes of vigorous exercise each day3)

  • In 2006, 60 per cent of South Australians did not meet the recommended amount of physical activity for general health benefit2 (30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days3)

  • Regular physical activity reduces the risk of developing colon cancer by 40 per cent and breast cancer by 20-40 per cent in women

  • In 2004, almost 1 in 5 four year olds in South Australia were overweight or obese4.
Alcohol Consumption

Drinking alcohol increases the risk of some cancers including cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, colorectal, liver and breast.
  • In 2003, an estimated 2,844 new cases of cancer were attributable to alcohol consumption

  • An estimated1,358 cancer deaths were attributable to alcohol consumption in 20032.
Recommendations

The Cancer Council recommends maintaining a healthy body weight and regular physical activity, quitting smoking, protecting your skin from the sun and a healthy diet.

Put simply, by doing the following you can cut your risk of getting cancer in half:
  • Eat well – lots of vegetables and fruit
  • Exercise daily
  • Stay at a healthy weight (body mass index range of 18.5 – 25)
  • If you are overweight, try to lose weight
  • Drink less alcohol
  • Protect yourself from the sun (adopt SunSmart practices)
  • If you smoke, quit (Quitline 13 78 48).
To empower South Australians with simple tips about how to best reduce their risk of developing cancer, The Cancer Council has developed the LiveSmart booklet.

Children and adolescents need sufficient nutritious foods to grow and develop normally. Growth should be checked regularly for young children. 1

Physical activity is important for all children and adolescents. 1


Source:
1Reference: Begg S, Vos T, Barker B, Stevenson C, Stanley L, and Lopez A. (2007). The burden of disease and injury in Australia in 2003. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
2Reference: The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: Cancer in Australia: an overview 2006
The Cancer Council Australia 2007. Body Weight, Nutrition, Alcohol and Physical Activity: Key Messages for The Cancer Council Australia. NSW: The Cancer Council Australia.
Behavioural Research and Evaluation Unit, 2007. Cancer risk factors in South Australia: Results from the 2006 Health Omnibus Survey. Adelaide: The Cancer Council South Australia.
The Cancer Council Australia 2007. National Cancer Prevention Policy 2007-2009. NSW: The Cancer Council Australia.
Vaska, VL and Volkmer, R, ‘Increasing Prevalence of Obesity in South Australian 4 year olds: 1995-2002’, J. Paediatr. Child Health, vol. 40, 2004.




top Top