Mark The World Cancer Day With More Physical Activity To Reduce Risks

According to WHO, cancer follows cardiovascular diseases as the leading cause of death worldwide. Every year, around 12.7 million people find out they have cancer and 7.6 million die from some form of the disease. Worse, these figures continue to rise. Cancer will kill more than 13.2 million people a year by 2030 according to International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This is very alarming, especially to poorer countries.

So, in today's observance of the World Cancer Day, United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) released new recommendations to prevent cancer: two and half hours of moderate physical activity a week can reduce the risk of breast and colon cancers.

“Physical activity has a strong role to play in reducing the incidence of certain cancers,” WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health, Ala Alwan, said on the release of the agency’s latest Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health. “Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for all global deaths, with 31 per cent of the world’s population not physically active.”

The new recommendations advise that at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week for people aged 18 and over can reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases, including breast and colon cancers, diabetes and heart disease.

For youngsters between the ages of 5 and 17, at least one hour of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity can protect their health and, in turn, reduce the risk of these diseases.

You can read more about this article in UN News Centre. Furthermore, today is the the time to say that we've all had enough of this terrible disease and tell the world that we stand for the end of cancer. Stand up and donate your Facebook status today. I already did!

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