Women don't know enough about how to reduce cancer risks

Most women do not make the lifestyle choices that are recommended by the American Cancer Society to reduce risk of acquiring cancer, a new study has claimed.

The new survey determined how women view diet and exercise in relationship to cancer and whether they believed that they were engaging in healthy behaviours, and if their diet and exercise choices really met the minimum recommendations.

Jennifer Irvine Vidrine, PhD and colleagues from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston) and Prevention Magazine (Emmaus, PA) found that less than 10 percent of women who admitted eating a healthy diet actually met the American Cancer Society's minimum fruit and vegetable intake recommendations, which is 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables per day.

Less than 40 percent of women who confessed to doing regular physical activity met the American Cancer Society minimum recommendations of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five days per week.

The study found that overall, more than half of the women who were surveyed failed to meet the minimum recommendations for physical activity and/or for daily consumption of fruits and vegetables.

The study has been published in the Journal of Women's Health.