Coordinated efforts at the local, state, and national levels are necessary to save lives
Challenges prevail in the US population when it comes to transforming behaviors and risk factors related to cancer death, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS) report Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Facts & Figures 2013 that focuses on the prevention of cancer and the support of early detection efforts at the local, state, and national levels.
The following are statistical highlights from the latest report:
- In the past decade, the incidence of obesity has increased among men and now meets the women’s obesity rate, with an estimated 18.4% of adolescents and 35.7% of adults categorized as obese
- The passing of tobacco tax increases and smoke-free workplace laws has decreased at the state level in recent years, along with funding for tobacco prevention programs
Approximately 174,100 cancer deaths will be caused by tobacco use in 2013, according to ACS estimates. Furthermore, obesity, being overweight, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition are expected to cause one-quarter to one-third of the 1.6 million new cancer cases anticipated in 2013.
Lead author Vilma Cokkinides, PhD, ACS strategic director of risk factors and screening, said, “Our report is a striking reminder that we need to do a better job reducing behavioral risk factors that increase cancer risk.”
Sources: ACS, Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Facts & Figures 2013.