These days, it seems like everything can cause cancer. Peanut butter, bacon, alcohol, weed killer, air pollution, baby food, vitamins, birth control pills, pet cats, bottled water, toothpaste, vegetables – the list goes on and on.
Obviously, not all of these things are guaranteed to cause cancer, but there are definitely some foods, liquids and objects that you should try to avoid or cut down on. Naturally, your lifestyle and level of exercise also plays a huge part. This interactive “body map” brings together the evidence on proven cancer causes – from salty foods to sun exposure.
The interactive infographic below was put together by Emil Jeyaratnam from The Conversation. Using scientific sources, it shows the “induced factors” that can increase your risk of cancer, including alcohol, red meat and sun exposure.
Using the graphic below is pretty straightforward: simply select your gender and then click on the risk factor you’re worried about. The body map will then show which areas can be affected and the type of cancers to be wary of. (Hover your cursor over each body region for more information.)
“When reading the map, keep in mind that every body and circumstance is unique; one risk factor cannot be considered in isolation when applied to a real life context,” the accompanying article notes.
On the plus side, induced factors linked to cancer are considered “modifiable” which means you can lessens your chance of cancer by avoiding them. Bacon, we need to talk…
Also remember the percentages portrayed are “relative risks” which are different to “absolute risks”. The difference is explained in this accompanying piece, which will help you understand what relative risk really means for your chances of getting cancer.
[Via The Conversation]
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