Millions of Britons are increasing their chances of getting cancer because they do not know that alcohol, processed meat and poor diet can cause the disease. Many people are confused about what raises or reduces someone's likelihood of becoming a victim of the country's second biggest killer.

    Forty-four per cent of people questioned by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) thought stress increased the risk of cancer but just 36 per cent identified alcohol as a factor. This is despite the fact that there is no scientific evidence linking anxiety to the disease but numerous research studies which have linked drinking to five different forms of it, notably breast cancer.

    Half of the population did not know that being overweight is a danger and 43 per cent were unaware that poor diet increases risk, according to a survey of 2,018 people by YouGov for the WCRF. In addition, just 32 per cent knew that eating processed meat is a potential health risk.

    Lisa Cooney, head of education at the WCRF, said: 'There is no sound evidence that things like coffee, sweeteners and stress increase risk of cancer but a significant number of people clearly believe it is the case.'

    數以百萬的英國人正面臨越來越多罹患癌癥的危險，因為他們不知道酒精、加工過的肉類和不良的飲食習慣都可能導致疾病。許多人都感到很困惑：面對英國第二大殺手——癌癥，到底是什么增加了或減少了人們成為受害者的可能性。

    在世界癌癥研究基金會（WCRF）的調查詢問中，有44%的人認為精神壓力增加了患癌癥的風險，而僅有36%的人認為酒精是一個因素。盡管事實是，還沒有關于焦慮的精神狀態和疾病有關聯的科學證據，但是有許多臨床研究卻表明，飲酒和五種不同的癌癥之間有關聯，尤其是和乳腺癌。

    根據 YouGov公司（一個英國的市場調研公司）為WCRF所作的2018份調查，有半數的人茫然不知超重是一個危險因素，并且43%的被訪者全然未知不良的飲食習慣會增加患病危險。此外，僅有32%的人知道食用加工過的肉類，對健康是一種潛在的危險。

    WCRF的教育主管麗莎.庫尼說：“還沒有明確的證據表明，類似像咖啡，糖和精神壓力這些因素會增加罹患癌癥的風險，但卻有相當多的人寧可相信事實就是如此。