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Experts prescribe moderation as way to avoid cancers

People who wish to avoid cancer should live balanced and healthy lifestyles instead of obsessing over fad diets and supplements, a cancer expert said yesterday at a press conference.

To examine the level of understanding in Taiwan when it comes to prevalence, prevention and treatment of cancer, CommonWealth Magazine in March surveyed 1,011 adults using a 13-item questionnaire, said Hsieh Juie-kun (謝瑞坤), head of the oncology department at Taipei’s Mackay Hospital.

“Although 85.8 percent of respondents received passing scores with eight out of 13 points or more, some of the survey questions received an alarming number of incorrect responses, indicating that the public is still confused by a number of ‘urban legends’ concerning cancer,” Hsieh said.

For example, while about 60 percent of people erroneously believe that most cancer patients have a family history of the illness, about 40 percent wrongly believe consumption of certain supplement pills can help ward off cancer, he said.

“The truth is, most cancer patients do not have a family history of the kind of cancer they develop — in fact, people with a family history of certain cancers — such as lung, cervical, or certain types of breast cancer — may not be at higher risk since their etiology have little to do with heredity,” Hsieh said.

Instead, the chances of contracting cancer are strongly related to one’s diet, lifestyle and exercise regime, director of the Koo Foundation Sun Yat-sen Cancer Center’s nutrition department, Wang Li-min (王麗民) said.

“Today, we know that only 20 percent of cancers are hereditary, meaning that with a balanced diet, a relatively relaxed lifestyle and a healthy exercising schedule, most people can stay cancer-free,” she said.

“Because stress impairs one’s immunity, exercising kills two birds with one stone, since it not only helps one stay fit, it also relieves stress,” she said.

A balanced diet means one that contains more fiber [from fruits and vegetables], less fat and less meat, Wang said.

“An average adult needs about four portions of meat a day [at 37.5g per portion], however many people consume four portions in a single meal,” Wang said.

For example, a typical chicken drumstick or pork fillet lunchbox contains three portions of meat, she said.

Wang also warned people about fad diets or taking self-proclaimed cancer-preventing pills.

“Most fad diets emphasize a particular food group, whereas all six food groups should be consumed, as advises the Department of Health,” Wang said.

“Because humans need some 40 different types of nutrients, it is easy for people to fall for ‘short cuts,’ however, in terms of a balanced diet, no supplements are sufficient enough to replace real, fresh foods,” she said.
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