Lifestyle and Cancer Risk: What Science Reveals

The Link Between Lifestyle and Cancer

While eye cancers are rare, a landmark study published in November 2017 offers an important reminder: the vast majority of cancer cases diagnosed in the developed world are closely tied to how we live.

Researchers from the US published their findings in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, analysing cancer statistics from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for 2014. What they found was striking: processed red meat consumption, obesity, low fruit and vegetable intake, and insufficient dietary fibre were among the strongest preventable risk factors for malignant tumours.

The Numbers That Matter

The study revealed that in 2014 alone, 42% of new cancer cases and 45% of cancer deaths involved at least one risk factor that individuals could have controlled or modified. Obesity emerged as the single largest preventable risk factor across the board.

The research reinforced a truth often overlooked in medicine: prevention is far more powerful than treatment. It's simpler, less costly, and spares patients the physical and emotional toll of serious illness.

The Estonian Picture

Estonia is not immune to these trends. According to the Ministry of Social Affairs' Green Book on Nutrition and Movement, overweight prevalence has been climbing steadily.

In 2004, 43.2% of Estonian adults were overweight. By 2014, that figure had climbed to 52%—a jump of 8.8 percentage points. More than half of all Estonian adults now carry excess weight, with men affected more frequently than women.

Age Matters

The picture gets sharper when you look at specific age groups. Among men aged 18–24, 31% are overweight or obese. That number jumps to 55% by age 25–29, and reaches a sobering 87% among those aged 55–59.

Women follow a similar pattern: 19% overweight at 18–24, rising to 29% by 25–29, and climbing to 73% by 55–59.

Children at Risk

Perhaps most concerning is the trend among children. Between 2004 and 2014, overweight prevalence among school-age children nearly doubled—from 6.5% to 11%. Among younger children (aged 6–9), the figures are even more alarming: 32% of boys and 30% of girls already carry excess weight.

What This Means

These aren't just statistics. They represent real health decisions we make every day: what we eat, how much we move, the habits we develop and pass to our children.

The Estonian data reflects a global challenge. But it also reflects something encouraging: awareness. When you understand the link between lifestyle and disease, prevention becomes possible.

At KSA Silmakeskus, we believe in looking ahead—to helping patients maintain sharp vision for life. That's why we're committed to the latest technology like Flow3 procedure and ICB lens replacement, which help correct vision naturally and safely.

But the best medicine remains the one you give yourself: the daily choices that keep you healthy.

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Source: Islam F, Goding Sauer A, Miller KD, et al. Proportion and number of cancer cases and deaths attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors in the United States. CA Cancer J Clin. Published online November 21, 2017.