Heart-healthy lifestyle reduces cancer risk, study shows

Common advice circulated in the US on living a heart-healthy lifestyle can also help to improve people's chances of avoiding cancer, according to a new study.

Research carried out by the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago revealed that the American Heart Association's (AHA's) Life's Simple 7 steps can offer wide-ranging health benefits.

The steps include being physically active, keeping a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, curbing cholesterol levels and reducing blood pressure, as well as ensuring blood sugar levels are kept in check and avoiding smoking.

Adhering to six or seven of these reduced the risk of cancer by 51 percent compared with people who met none of the criteria, while following four of the pointers led to a 33 per cent cancer risk reduction.

Lead author Laura Rasmussen-Torvik, an assistant professor at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said: "This can help health professionals provide a clear, consistent message about the most important things people can do to protect their health and lower their overall risk for chronic diseases."

Other AHA health campaigns include Life's Salty Six, an initiative that aims to persuade people to cut down on their intake of bread, cold meats, pizza, poultry, soup and sandwiches where possible.