Given that we live in the most environmentally-concerning era, it stands to reason that global warming poses the greatest threat to our health. However, though its contribution is notable, the ever-changing state of the environment is not the primary source of cancer-related sickness among humans—we are.

The rapid industrialization firms have maintained throughout the past 60 years has proved to be a net positive for the continued thriving of the species, as it has allowed us to extend human life, while also lifting millions out of poverty. However, the drawback to this approach—a profit-maximizing attitude—is starting to make itself clear through its impact on our physiology. Cancer incidence, carcinoma specifically, and overall susceptibility to disease have increased exponentially, and the determinants are quite clear: 

1. Low-quality diets and access to inexpensive calories
2. The popular use of harmful compounds and endocrine-disrupting hormones in everyday items
3. And the overall physical inactivity that continues to plague the average American.

Low-Quality Diets
Successful efforts to increase food availability have permitted many to live bereft of the perpetual uncertainty regarding their sustenance, but the byproduct is beginning to pose a separate issue—nutrient deficiency. In order to sustain this dramatic decrease in the price of food, companies have had to compensate through a reduction in micronutrient concentration and an increase in artificial preservatives and flavorings in their food. Essentially, food tastes better now than ever before—along with being empty of vital nutrients. 

Nutrient-deficient diets have consistently proved to be a cancer risk factor, as they leave important biological benchmarks unfulfilled, benchmarks that contribute to the maintenance of our health. 4,700 mg of Potassium, for example, is required for optimal fluid circulation, blood pressure, and muscle contraction; lacking any of these functions through a suboptimal intake of potassium would dramatically decrease your body’s ability to prevent disease or cancer proliferation. 

Beyond their overall lack of important vitamins and minerals, diets rich in refined carbohydrates or highly-insulinogenic foods raise the risk of developing insulin resistance—the mechanism by which the body becomes insensitive to the release of insulin. Insulin, the hormone involved in permitting glucose to enter cells, is vital in maintaining energy levels and bodily functions; if insulin were to become ineffective in diverting glucose, the body can accumulate body fat, and the hormone-disrupting and inflammatory effects of this can raise the risk for disease.

Harmful Compounds
In order to create products that are as competitive as possible in the market for everyday items, many firms have resorted to the use of harmful compounds, specifically endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs can mimic or prevent the effects of genuine hormones in the body by acting as agonists (activators) or antagonists (blockers) to their receptors. Because the endocrine system works through a series of positive feedback loops, any increase or decrease in receptor activity caused by the prevalence of an EDC could lead to hormone imbalances, which have the potential to increase cancer proliferation. For instance, given its stimulatory effect on breast growth, an artificial upsurge in estrogenic activity can increase the splicing and division of cancerous cells—possibly leading to the development of breast cancer. 

The most thoroughly studied EDC, oxybenzone (BP-3), is used in sunscreen and cosmetic topical solutions, and it is prevalent in as much as 98% of the US population. A 2021 study carried out by researchers at Michigan State University demonstrated that the compound, paired with a diet rich in saturated fat (> 60% of caloric content), increases the incidence of highly-proliferative epithelial tumors in rats; and when paired with a diet low in fat, there existed a fewer, more aggressive tumors of the spindle-cell type. Ultimately, EDCs, regardless of dietary pairings, can dramatically increase one’s risk of developing cancer. 

Lack of physical activity
The steady transition to a sedentary lifestyle throughout the past few decades has also contributed to the increased susceptibility of cancer. 

As mentioned previously, higher body fat can dysregulate hormone balance in the body—and chronic inactivity would only increase this risk factor when paired with a high-calorie diet low in essential nutrients. The weight gain and obesity associated with excessive visceral fat (fat that is accumulated within organs and the abdominal cavity) can also work toward organ failure, particularly in the heart. 

What can we do about it?
The truth remains that many can decrease their risk of cancer development through minute lifestyle changes. Regularly lifting and performing cardio, adopting a diet rich in micronutrients, and employing a conscious approach to the products you apply or ingest can aid significantly in cancer prevention. 

In many cases, cancer can be prevented or attenuated through minute, necessary lifestyle changes.