How can I reduce my risk of cancer?

One in two people will develop cancer at some point in their life in the UK¹. Although not all cancers can be prevented, you can lower your risk of some cancers by making changes to your lifestyle.

Try answering the questions below to learn more about how you could reduce your risk.

For each question, move the slider tool across to select your answer.

How often do you smoke?

Select the answer that best describes your current smoking status.

You have said

You’ve said I never smoke.

That’s great! Smoking is by far the greatest avoidable risk factor for developing many types of cancer.²

You have said I smoke occasionally.

It’s good that you aren’t smoking every day, but there’s no safe level of smoking³. You might want to think about trying to stop smoking for good to reduce your risk of future smoking-related health problems. Why not take a look at our guide on how to stop social smoking for tips on how to stay smoke-free.

You have said I smoke nearly every day.

Smoking is the greatest avoidable risk factor for developing cancer.¹ Cigarette smoke contains more than 5,000 chemical compounds, and over 60 of these can cause cancer.¹ We have an article on healthy habits to replace smoking, which has helpful advice on how to manage cravings when you’re trying to quit smoking.

You have said I smoke every day.

Smoking increases your chances of getting cancers such as lung cancer, kidney cancer and cervical cancer.¹ It’s never too late to benefit from quitting smoking. Did you know that 72 hours after stopping smoking, your breathing already improves and energy levels increase?⁴ Check out our guide on how to quit after smoking for a long time for some useful information on where to start if you’d like to stop smoking.

What is your current body mass index (BMI)?

If you’re unsure what your current BMI is, why not try our BMI calculator tool.

You’ve told us

You’ve told us my BMI is below 18.5

Your BMI suggests that you’re currently underweight⁵. Talk to your practice nurse or GP for advice. If you’re always on the go and struggle to find time to make healthy meals, you might be interested in reading our article on making one-pot wonders. It has lots of recipes that are easy to make all in one dish!

You’ve told us my BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9

Your BMI suggests that you’re a healthy weight⁶. Focus on eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly to maintain your weight⁵. For more inspiration, why not read our article on healthy lunch ideas.

You’ve told us my BMI is over 30

A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9⁵. Being overweight can increase your risk of some types of cancer.⁵ Eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly can help to reduce your weight⁵. We have some useful information on losing weight in a healthy way that might help.

How much physical activity do you take part in each week?

Physical activity includes exercise such as walking or riding a bike.⁶

Number of minutes

You’ve said less than 50 minutes of exercise

The recommended amount of physical activity each week is 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity⁶. A moderate intensity exercise could be a brisk walk or a bike ride.⁷ Not being physically active enough increases your risk of certain types of cancer.⁸ We have some great articles to help kickstart your fitness on how to workout at home using household items and the health benefits of walking.

You’ve said between 50 and 150 minutes of exercise

That’s a great start! Being physically active can help you stay a healthy weight, which reduces your risk of some cancers⁷. Why not check out our home HIIT workout for some ideas to increase your activity levels.

You’ve said more than 150 minutes of physical activity each week

Well done! Getting lots of exercise will help to reduce your risk of some types of cancer⁷. If you’re looking for something new to try, why not read our guide to dancing: getting started.

How many units of alcohol do you drink each week?

If you’re unsure of how many units you’re drinking, read our guide on how many units of alcohol are in your drink (PDF, 1.3MB) .

Number of drinks per week

You’ve said I drink less than 14 units of alcohol

That’s great! Staying within the recommended weekly drinking guidelines of less than 14 units a week reduces your risk of getting certain types of cancer.⁹ It’s also important to spread your drinking over three or more days each week.⁹ To inspire you on alcohol-free days, why not try one of our recipes for mocktails to tickle your taste buds.

You’ve said I drink between 14 and 20 units of alcohol each week.

It’s safer to limit your drinking to 14 units or less per week, and it’s best to spread your drinking over three or more days.⁹. The more alcohol you drink, the more your risk of some types of cancer increases.¹⁰ A 250ml glass of wine contains around 3 units, and a pint of strong beer contains around 3 units¹¹. Why not read more about weekly alcohol unit recommendations and about the benefits of alcohol-free days.

You’ve said I drink more than 30 units of alcohol each week.

Drinking a lot of alcohol puts you at increased risk of a number of health problems, including cancer.⁹ If you’re struggling to reduce your alcohol intake, talk to your doctor. You might be interested in reading some more information on the effects of drinking alcohol in our article on alcohol: common questions answered.

Each day, how many portions of fruit and vegetables do you eat?

A portion is approximately 80g, or a whole piece of fruit such as a banana.¹⁵

Number of portions

It looks like you could do with increasing the amount of fruit and veg you eat. The UK government recommends eating at least five portions of different fruit and vegetables each day.¹² This can help you get enough fibre, which is important in reducing your risk of bowel cancer.¹³

Great effort! You’re on your way to meeting the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables.¹¹ Why not read our article on summer salad recipes for some ideas on how to boost your five a day.

That’s great! Eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables can help you to maintain a healthy weight, which can reduce your risk of some cancers.¹³ Fruit and vegetables are also a great source of fibre¹², which can help to reduce your risk of bowel cancer.¹⁴

How often do you eat processed meat?

Processed meat includes food such as sausages, bacon and cured meats.¹⁵

Number of portions:

Processed meat is a known cause of some cancers.¹⁵ The UK government recommends eating no more than 70g of processed meat per day.¹⁶ For some meat-free recipe ideas, why not take a look at our article on keeping Veganuary going: three tasty recipes.

Processed meat is a known cause of some cancers.¹⁴ If you struggle thinking of meat-free meals, our article on interesting ways to use up your fruit and veg has some ideas for turning leftover food into tasty meat-free snacks and meals. This can help both your pocket and the planet while reducing your meat intake!

The UK government recommends eating no more than 70g of processed or red meat per day¹⁵. Processed meats are things like sausages, bacon and cured meats.¹⁵ Processed meats are a cause of some cancers so you may want to try and cut down.¹⁴To get you started with some meat-free meal ideas, why not read our article on keeping Veganuary going - three tasty recipes

How often do you eat wholegrain foods?

Wholegrain foods are things like brown rice and porridge oats.¹⁸

Number of portions

It’s recommended that adults eat 30g of fibre a day.¹⁷ Wholegrain foods are a great source of fibre, which help to reduce the risk of some cancers, such as bowel cancer.¹⁸ Why not try swapping white rice for brown rice, or have porridge for breakfast to up your daily fibre.¹⁹

Keep going! Eating wholegrain foods regularly can help to reduce your risk of bowel cancer because they contain fibre¹⁷.

Well done! Wholegrain foods are a great source of fibre, which help to reduce the risk of some cancers such as colorectal cancer¹⁹.

On average, how often do you get burnt by the sun?

You have said

You’ve said I get sunburnt less than two times a year

Sunburn increases your risk of some types of skin cancer.²⁰ If possible, avoid the midday sun and always use sun lotion of at least sun protection factor (SPF) 30.²¹ Take a look at our article on taking care in the sun for more sun safety tips and advice.

You’ve said I get sunburnt a few times a year

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun damages the skin, which can lead to skin cancer.¹⁹ Wearing hats with a large brim, avoiding midday sun, and frequently applying high sun protection factor (SPF) lotion can help reduce the chance of sunburn.²⁰ Read our article on taking care in the sun for more tips on reducing your risk of skin cancer.

You’ve said I get sunburnt very often

Being burnt only once every two years can triple your risk of some types of skin cancer.¹⁹ If you are getting sunburnt very often, you need to improve your sun safety. We have some great tips in our article on taking care in the sun.

¹ Cancer risk statistics. Cancer Research UK. cancerresearchuk.org, accessed 20 September 2022. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/risk

² How does smoking cause cancer? Cancer Research UK. Cancerresearchuk.og, last reviewed 19 March 2021, accessed 18 August 2022. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/smoking-and-cancer/how-does-smoking-cause-cancer

³ BMJ Best Practice. Smoking cessation. Epidemiology. Bestpractice.bmj.com. Last updated 30 October 2018, last reviewed 12 August 2022. https://bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/411/epidemiology Accessed 12 September 2022.

⁴ Benefits of stopping smoking. NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, nice.org.uk https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/smoking-cessation/background-information/benefits-of-stopping-smoking/ last revised September 2021

⁵ Body mass index – BMI. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/europe/news-room/fact-sheets/item/a-healthy-lifestyle---who-recommendations Accessed 12 September 2022

⁶ Obesity: identification, assessment and management. [CG189] Nice guidance. Nice.org.uk. Published 27 November 2014. Last updated 8 September 2022. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg189

⁷ UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines. Department of Health, gov.co.uk, published 7 September 2019. Last updated 16 February 2022. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/physical-activity-guidelines

⁸ What are the benefits of exercise? Cancer Research UK. Cancerresearch.org. Last reviewed 15 January 2021. Accessed 19 August 2022. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/physical-activity-and-cancer/what-are-the-benefits-of-exercise

⁹UK low risk drinking guidelines. Drink Aware, drinkaware.co.uk. Last reviewed 30 June 2022. Accessed 18th August 2022. https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/alcoholic-drinks-and-units/low-risk-drinking-guidelines#weeklyguidelines

¹⁰ UK Chief Medical Officers’ Low Risk Drinking Guidelines. Department of Health, gov.co.uk. Published August 2016. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/545937/UK_CMOs__report.pdf (PDf, 0.3MB)

¹¹ Delivering better oral health: an evidence-based toolkit for prevention. Chapter 12: alcohol. Department of Health & Social Care. Gov.co.uk. Last updated 9 November 2021.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivering-better-oral-health-an-evidence-based-toolkit-for-prevention/chapter-12-alcohol

¹²Eatwell Guide. Public Health England. Gov.co.uk. Published 17 March 2016, last updated 25 September 2018. Accessed 18 August 2022 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/528193/Eatwell_guide_colour.pdf (PDF, 7.8MB)

¹³ Preventing excess weight gain. NICE guideline NG7. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Nice.org.uk. Published 13 March 2015. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng7/chapter/1-Recommendations#3-encourage-dietary-habits-that-reduce-the-risk-of-excess-energy-intake

¹⁴ Health matters: improving the prevention and diagnosis of bowel cancer. Public Health England. Gov.co.uk. Published 27 June 2016 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-preventing-bowel-cancer/health-matters-improving-the-prevention-and-detection-of-bowel-cancer

¹⁵ Does eating processed and red meat cause cancer? Cancer Research UK, cancerresearch.org. Accessed 18 August 2022. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/diet-and-cancer/does-eating-processed-and-red-meat-cause-cancer

¹⁶A Quick Guide to the Government’s Healthy Eating Recommendations. Public Health England. Gov.uk. Published September 2018. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/742746/A_quick_guide_to_govt_healthy_eating_update.pdf (PDF, 0.7MB)

¹⁷ Fibre: Food Fact Sheet. BDA The Association of UK Dietitians. Bda.uk.com. Last updated April 2021. Accessed 18 August 2022. https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/fibre.html

¹⁸ SACN Carbohydrates and Health Report. Published 17 July 2015. Gov.uk https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/445503/SACN_Carbohydrates_and_Health.pdf (PDf, 2.4MB)

¹⁹ Wholegrains: Food Fact Sheet. BDA The Association of UK Dietitians. Bda.uk.com. Last updated April 2019. Accessed 18 August 2022. https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/wholegrains.html

²⁰ How does the sun and UV cause cancer? Cancer Research UK, cancerresearch.org. Last reviewed 4 June 2021. Accessed 18 August 2022. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/sun-uv-and-cancer/how-does-the-sun-and-uv-cause-cancer

²¹ How to stay safe in the sun. British Skin Foundation. Britishskinfoundation.org.uk. Accessed 18 August 2022. https://www.britishskinfoundation.org.uk/how-to-stay-safe-in-the-sun