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Risk Factors – Under Our Control: Part 3

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So far in this series we’ve learned that excessive drinking, smoking, and poor diet can contribute to a higher risk of developing colon cancer. Today, I want to touch on two factors that are invariably linked when talking about health: obesity and inactivity.

Being overweight is a common problem for many of us, but obesity seems to have become somewhat of an epidemic in this country. It’s been thrust into the spotlight in recent years, as evidenced by shows like The Biggest Loser, and is incredibly difficult to overcome, but it is possible. According to the American Cancer Society, your risk of being diagnosed with, and dying from, colon cancer is increased if you are significantly overweight, and the incidence seems to be higher in men than in women.*

Physical inactivity also seems to increase our risk of developing colon cancer. In fact, The Early Show (on CBS) hosted Dr. Holly Phillips who reported on a new study that indicates that sitting for long periods of time increases our risk of getting colon cancer and may contribute to as many as 43,000 new cases per year.** She suggests that, even if you have a “desk job”, you sit for no more than one hour, then get up, move around, go to the ‘water cooler’, etc. just to be more active.

So, being extremely overweight and being inactive can increase our risk, but they’re also things that are not out of our control. What’s important to note, here, is that physical inactivity, obesity, and poor diet form a dangerous triangular “trap” that can not only raise our chances of getting colon cancer, but have a terribly negative affect on our overall health.

My goal for the future of this project is to provide more information and positive steps that we can take to help us overcome these issues and lead healthier lives.

*www.cancer.org

**http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7387039n



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