The document summarizes the work of the World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRF) and American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) in producing reports on cancer prevention through diet, nutrition, and physical activity. It discusses how the WCRF/AICR conduct systematic reviews of scientific evidence to develop recommendations, and continuously update their findings. Their expert reports conclude that lifestyle factors like smoking, diet, nutrition, weight management, and physical activity have significant impacts on cancer risk, and that many cancers can be prevented through appropriate changes to these behaviors.
WCRF Report Recommends Cancer Prevention Through Diet, Nutrition and Physical Activity
1. Evidence-based recommendations for prevention
of cancer and other chronic diseases
The 2007 and 2009 WCRF/AICR Reports
Martin Wiseman
World Cancer Research Fund International
University of Southampton, UK
www.wcrf.org/ICN2013
IUNS, Granada, 2013
2. Who we are
AICR
WCRF UK
WCRF Netherlands
WCRF Hong Kong
WCRF International
What we do
Fund research on the relationship of
nutrition, physical activity and body
weight to cancer risk
Interpret the accumulated scientific
literature to derive
Recommendations for Cancer
Prevention
Educate people through our national
Health Information programmes
Advocate effective policies to help
people and populations to reduce
their chances of developing cancer
3.
4. Data from Parkin et al, Pisani et al, Globocan 2008, IARC
*Estimated new cases for 2030 from predictions in 2002
10. WCRF/AICR EXPERT REPORT
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The most authoritative
New method
Systematic reviews
Review of evidence separate from
judgement
Panel of international experts
Predetermined criteria for judgements
Epidemiology
Mechanisms
6. Flexibility
7. Continuous update of evidence
11. NUTRITION AND CANCERS
OBESITY
BREAST (PM), COLORECTUM, ENDOMETRIUM, OESOPHAGUS,
PANCREAS, GALLBLADDER, KIDNEY
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
COLON, BREAST, OBESITY
MEAT – RED AND PROCESSED
COLORECTAL
PLANT FOODS
MPL, OESOPHAGUS, STOMACH,) COLORECTAL, LUNG, OBESITY
ALCOHOL
MPL, COLORECTUM, LIVER, BREAST
SALT
STOMACH
BREASTFEEDING
BREAST, EXCESS WEIGHT GAIN (CHILD)
12. The Panel emphasises the
importance of not smoking and of
avoiding exposure to tobacco smoke
13. Continuous Update Project
(CUP)
• Keep evidence, conclusions and
recommendations updated into the future
• Working with team at ICL
• Same principles:
- Systematically review evidence
- Meta analysis
- Panel of experts
-draw conclusions
-make recommendations
17. Behaviour
• People behave like those around them
– social norms
• Asking people to behave very differently
from their social norm only has limited or
unsustained effect
• Personal choice determines individual
variation around the social norm
– small effect
• External factors determine social norms
– big effect
18.
19. Everybody has a role
to play
Action needs to be
coherent
Leadership from
Government
Health professionals
20. Conclusions
The WCRF/AICR Expert Reports, and the CUP, are the
most rigorous and authoritative reviews available.
They conclude that
•
Cancer is a major cause of death, disability and lost life years
•
Cancer is mostly environmentally determined and largely
preventable
•
With smoking, food, nutrition, body fatness and physical activity
are the most important factors affecting cancer risk
•
Evidence to support this comes from many different sources
•
Preventing cancer through food, nutrition and physical activity will
also prevent other major chronic diseases
•
Changes are needed in people’s environment as well as
in personal choices
Just a note about who does what within our organisation. The charitable fundraising and information programs are conducted at a national level in four countries. And then there is the part I work for – WCRF International – which provides strategic guidance to the charities and conducts most of the science and policy work.
November 1st will see the publication of the WCRF/AICR Expert Report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective. The report synthesizes evidence from a vast body of research, grades the quality of that evidence, and draws a series of comprehensive cancer prevention goals for populations and practical recommendations for people. It is a remarkable achievement and yet, as you will see, it is only the beginning.
For breast cancer the number of papers published in the last 6 years is about the same number as published in the previous 50 years. The CUP numbers include all those entered by end 2011
For more information refer to websites.363=/
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