The vast majority (88%) of people who develop cancer are over 50, and survival rates have improved in recent decades, according to the American Cancer Society. But the number of cancer cases in people under the age of 50 rose by nearly 80% between 1990 and 2019, according to a 2023 study published in BMJ Oncology, up from 1.82 million to 3.26 million globally.
We know certain risk factors for some cancers, such as smoking which increases the risk of developing lung cancer.
But for many other cancers, researchers aren’t exactly sure why rates have gone up in young people, Dr. Daniel Landau, an oncologist specializing in genitourinary cancers and a medical reviewer for Asbestos.com, a resource on mesothelioma, told Business Insider.
Landau said that one of the most prominent theories is that modern lifestyle factors, specifically people leading more sedentary lives and eating more saturated fats, may have contributed to the rise in cancer rates.
Here’s how Landau tries to lower his own risk.
Eats a Mediterranean-ish diet
Landau doesn’t follow a strict diet, maintaining an “everything in moderation approach.”
But he does try to stick to the principles of the Mediterranean diet, which includes lots of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and low-fat protein such as fish. It also features limited amounts of red meat, alcohol, and processed foods.
Landau said that the Mediterranean diet is heart-healthy, and research has linked following it to reduced risks of heart attacks and strokes.
Dietitian Tejal Parekh previously told BI that a healthy diet can help to prevent cancer.
Exercises every day
Because of the “known association” between being sedentary and an increased risk of developing certain cancers, Landau tries to exercise for at least 30-60 minutes every day.
He does both weight training and cardiovascular exercise because he believes that both are beneficial for cancer prevention “as long as we raise our resting heart rates.”
Just 30 minutes of muscle-strengthening weight training exercises can reduce the risk of dying from cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, a 2022 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found.
Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Gothenburg suggested in a 2023 study that having a good level of cardio fitness when young could lower the risk of developing certain cancers later in life by up to 42%.
Doesn’t rely on supplements
A few studies have suggested that turmeric, green teas, and vitamin D may be beneficial for cancer prevention, Landau said, but more research needs to be done to definitely prove that any supplements can prevent cancer.
Taking supplements can also come with side effects. That was shown in a study where women who took vitamin D and calcium supplements were suggested to have a 7% lower risk of dying from breast cancer — but a 6% increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, potentially because of a build-up of calcium in the coronary arteries.
Landau doesn’t take supplements apart from protein powder after a “tough workout.”
“I do believe that the best source of nutrition remains to be the food we eat rather than the supplements we take,” Landau said.
Doesn’t smoke
“There is a strong link between smoking and developing lung or bladder cancer,” Landau said.
Nine out of 10 deaths from lung cancer are caused by smoking cigarettes or secondhand smoke exposure, and smoking can also prevent the body from killing cancer cells, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
