: It’s estimated half of all cancer can be prevented with lifestyle changes like getting more exercise, but making such changes can be challenging.
Photo Credit: CBC

Canada’s cancer rate to increase 40% over 15 years

Canada’s population is aging and growing, and that means the number of cases of cancer is likely to go from 200,000 this year to 277,000 in 2030, says the Canadian Cancer Society.

Birth rates went up dramatically after World War II and that means by 2030, one in four Canadians will be 65 years or older. That compares to only one in eight in 2005. Almost 90 per cent of all new cases of cancer are diagnosed in Canadians over the age of 50.

Half can be prevented, but…

The good news is that about half of cancer cases can be prevented with lifestyle changes such as not smoking, get screened for cancer, getting vaccinated against HPV, eating well and being active, maintaining a healthy body weight, and protecting oneself from the sun or avoiding tanning salons.

The bad news is that people have difficulty changing their habits, especially when the threat appears to not be imminent.

There is concern that Canada’s health care system, which is already stretched to the limits, will have difficulty coping with the projected increase in cancer cases.

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