This page provides general information about diet-related ill-health. For individual advice always seek guidance from a qualified health professional.
Cancer is a disease where abnormal cells in our body divide in an uncontrolled way making more abnormal cells.
In the UK, more than 331,000 people are diagnosed with cancer each year. The four most common cancers are breast, prostate, lung and bowel (colorectal).
It is estimated that half of us will develop cancer at some point in their lives, but the good news is that there are ways you can reduce your risk.
Lifestyle can have a big impact on the risk of developing cancer. Every year, 4 in 10 UK cancer cases could be prevented.
Bridget Benelam, Nutrition Communications Manager, British Nutrition Foundation
The risk of developing cancer depends on a combination of factors. You can’t change some risk factors like your genetics, but other risk factors are linked to lifestyle choices.
Lifestyle factors linked to cancer:
Smoking is the biggest, avoidable cause of cancer. Smoking causes over a quarter of cancer deaths in the UK.
Being overweight or obese is the second biggest preventable cause of cancer.
For more information on the causes of cancer visit the Cancer Research UK website.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight and keeping active are the main things you can do to reduce your risk of developing cancer.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet
Overall, research suggests a link between healthy eating patterns and a reduction in cancer risk, rather than any specific food, vitamin or nutrient.
However, eating plenty of fruit and vegetables may reduce the risk of certain cancers because of the vitamins, minerals, and fibre they contain.
Keeping active at all ages!
Being active can help to prevent some cancers like bowel, womb (endometrium) and breast cancer.
Because exercise can help to control weight, being active may also help to protect against cancers that are linked to being overweight and obese.
Maintaining a healthy weight
Being overweight or obese is the second biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking.
Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of developing cancers of the oesophagus, stomach, bowel, pancreas, endometrium, ovaries, prostate, kidney, liver, gallbladder, and breast (in post-menopausal women).
If you need help losing weight speak to your GP or pharmacist.
There is good evidence that a healthy, balanced diet based on the Eatwell Guide may help to lower your risk of developing certain cancers.
Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables may reduce the risk of certain cancers because of the vitamins, minerals, and fibre they contain.
Fruit and vegetables also contain phytochemicals which are chemicals found naturally in plants. Phytochemicals may help to protect cells in your body from damage.
Because fruit and vegetables have different amounts and combinations of nutrients, it’s important to eat a variety in our diet. The Eatwell Guide recommends that we eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
If you have low levels of some nutrients, your GP may prescribe supplements.
However, for most people, eating a healthy, balanced diet is the best way to reduce your cancer risk.
Dietary supplements are not recommended for cancer prevention as there is not clear evidence that they are beneficial.
There is good evidence that a healthy, balanced diet based on the Eatwell Guide may help to lower your risk of developing certain cancers.
Adult recommendations for physical activity:
You could meet the recommendation by being active for 30 minutes, 5 days a week. But shorter periods of activity also count and more is better than nothing, even if you don’t manage to meet the recommendation.
There are lots of ways you can achieve this without signing up to a gym! For more ideas and inspiration, see our page on keeping active.
Consume these according to guidelines to reduce your risk:
Red and processed meat
Meat is a good source of protein and can be enjoyed as part of a healthy, balanced diet. However, eating lots of red and/or processed meat is linked with an increased risk of bowel cancer.
'Red meat' refers to beef, pork and lamb. 'Processed meat' refers to meat preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or the addition of chemical preservatives. Processed meat includes bacon, sausages, salami and ham.
The Eatwell Guide recommends choosing lean cuts of meat and to eat less processed meat. We are also advised to eat more beans and pulses as alternatives to meat because they're lower in fat, higher in fibre and more sustainable.
Salt
A high intake of salt and salted foods is linked with an increased risk of stomach cancer. Our intake of salt should be less than 6g (2.4g sodium) a day. On average, people in the UK have more salt than is recommended.
Three-quarters of the salt we eat is already in everyday foods such as bread, ham and bacon, sauces, gravies, and ready meals. So, use the information available on food labels to help you identify which foods are high in salt and choose lower salt options.
For more information see our pages on food labelling.
Alcohol
For more information on alcohol and cancer visit the Cancer Research UK website.
What is ‘sedentary behaviour’ and why does it matter?
Sedentary behaviour is a group of behaviours that happen whilst sitting or lying down that require low energy expenditure such as watching TV.
You can be sedentary even if you are physically active. For example, if you sit at a desk during the day and exercise in the evening.
Some research suggests sedentary behaviours are linked with increased risks of colon cancer, endometrial cancer, and lung cancer.
If you spend a lot of time lying or sitting down, try to get up and move regularly.
Can turmeric reduce my risk of cancer?
Some studies have shown that curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, at high enough doses can kill cancer cells and prevent more from growing.
However, whilst these studies are promising, more clinical trials are needed in humans before we will know if turmeric has any potential benefit. In the meantime, turmeric should not be used instead of cancer treatment but can be enjoyed in a curry as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
Does breastfeeding reduce my risk of breast cancer?
Breastfeeding may help to protect you and your baby from risk of certain cancers later in life. Breastfeeding also reduces the mother's risk of breast cancer.
For more information see our pages on breastfeeding
Make healthier choices
Read about how you can make healthier choices in your diet
Last reviewed October 2023. Next review due October 2026.
