On World Cancer Day, 4 February 2009, the International Union Against Cancer
(UICC) will launch “I love my healthy active childhood”, the second full-year
theme in our “Today’s children, tomorrow’s world” cancer prevention campaign. The
prevalence of overweight and obesity is rising dramatically among adults and
children around the world. Being overweight or obese has been shown to increase
the risk of cancer among adults.
On World Cancer Day, 4 February 2009, the International Union Against Cancer
(UICC) will launch “I love my healthy active childhood”, the second full-year
theme in our “Today’s children, tomorrow’s world” cancer prevention campaign. The
prevalence of overweight and obesity is rising dramatically among adults and
children around the world. Being overweight or obese has been shown to increase
the risk of cancer among adults.
It is estimated that one third of breast cancer cases are due to overweight and
lack of physical activity, a fact highlighted by EUROPA DONNA – The European
Breast Cancer Coalition for its Breast Health Day on 15 October. Women should
pursue a health strategy that will reduce the known breast cancer risk factors as
much as possible, including avoiding obesity and weight gain, increasing physical
activity and managing lifestyle choices. There is growing evidence that there is
a protective association between physical activity and breast cancer, preferably
over a lifetime, but probably beneficial even if begun after menopause.
Therefore Europa Donna Ireland strongly supports the campaign to encourage
children to eat a healthy diet, be physically active and maintain a healthy body
weight. This will make it far more likely that they will develop into healthy and
active adults, thus decreasing their risk of developing various cancers,
including breast cancer.
For more information on
• Breast Health Day and issues relating to obesity and physical activity
www.breasthealthday.org
• UICC campaign www.uicc.org