Changes in diet, lifestyle can reduce cancer risk — experts

AMMAN — With around 4,900 people diagnosed with cancer every year in Jordan, many items used every day can increase the possibility of contracting the disease, according to specialists.

Cancerous material is found in items used on a daily basis, such as water bottles, plastic bags, cups and plates, according to Sana Sukhun, consultant in medical oncology and haematology and president of the Jordanian Oncology Society. 

In remarks in March, Asem Mansour, the director of the King Hussein Cancer Centre, said cancer is the second most common cause of death in the Kingdom after cardiovascular diseases.

“Plastic water bottles include a carcinogen, a substance that can cause cancer in living tissue,” Sukhun told The Jordan Times recently.  

If water bottles are exposed to extreme temperatures — either high or low — using them increases the possibility of causing cancer, Sukhun added.

Mohammad Dweiri, an oncologist, said plastic has elements that raise the risk of developing cancer. 

“When using plastic bags, plates and cups and heating them, high temperatures can also add more chemicals to the container,” he said, noting that although microwaving is a convenient way to heat food, it might lead to cancer when using certain types of containers. 

“Plastic water bottles as well are not safe to use… those that we reuse multiple times or leave in our cars in the sun for days are dangerous,” Dweiri told The Jordan Times. 

Smoking can also cause cancer, according to Sukhun.

“We always hear the saying that ‘so many people smoke and don’t get cancer’, yet, 90 per cent of lung cancer patients are smokers,” she noted, emphasising that electronic cigarettes can cause the activation of carcinogen. 

The expert added that excessive drinking, too, is a habit associated with gastrointestinal cancer.

“One third of the cancer cases we see are due to smoking and one third of the cases are caused by bad diets and habits,” she said. 

Sukhun added that red or processed meat can cause colon and breast cancer. “Include meat in your diet only once or twice a week; do not avoid it completely, but try to limit its consumption,” she advised, calling for moderation in everything.

Excessive consumption of sugar, Sukhun explained, leads to obesity, which can cause several types of cancer such as breast, prostate, colon and endometrial cancer. 

“None of the most popular junk foods has been directly associated with cancer; however, none of them was linked to the prevention of it or enhancing the immune system,” she said.

Sukhun emphasised the importance of including vegetables and fruits in daily meals as “they help in fighting the disease”. 

“The Mediterranean diet is so much healthier than we think. It has a lower risk of cancer. Olive oil, for example, according to a recent study, is safer than corn oil for frying,” Sukhun said.

“We encourage a healthy, active lifestyle. Try to walk every half an hour. Brisk walk two to three times a week; avoid direct sun exposure from 10am to 4pm and limit exposure to ultraviolet rays to 30 minutes.”