Men of Ireland and Cancer Myths
Men of Ireland, tight underwear does NOT cause cancer
Recent research confirms that many men in Ireland are still unaware of common cancer risks, wrongly believing that the disease can be caused by laptops, injury and tight underwear.
The survey, carried out amongst a sample of 913 men by Breakthrough Cancer Research and researchers at University College Cork, found that while most men surveyed were aware of classic cancer risk factors, such as smoking and poor diet, there are still a lot of misconceptions that must to be tackled.
Cancer Myths
Alcohol IS a Cancer Risk Factor
- Irish men still seem to underestimate alcohol as a risk factor in developing cancer. 66% of men incorrectly believe that red wine protects against cancer. Decreasing your alcohol intake can reduce your risk of developing cancer.
Tight Underwear DOES NOT Cause Cancer
- 45% to 52% of Irish men believed that wearing tight underwear, carrying mobile phones in pockets or extended use of laptop on the lap increased their risk of testicular cancer. None of these cause cancer.
Supplements DO NOT Protect Against Cancer
- 44% of men surveyed believing supplements would protect against cancer. They do not provide any protection against cancer.
Physical Activity DOES Lower your Cancer Risk
- 95% correctly identified regular activity as a protective factor, yet less than half of respondents believed obesity is a risk factor. At least 30 minutes of physical activity a day can reduce your risk of developing cancer.
Obesity is a Cancer Risk Factor
- Only 48% of men who responded were aware that obesity is a risk factor, with 12 % believing that the worst effect of too much fat in the body is that clothes do not fit properly.
The results of this recent research show that there remains a need for men to become more cancer curious and arm themselves with the information they need to lower their cancer risk. The good news is that, as proven by the World Cancer Research Fund, small changes in our lifestyle can make a big difference to our cancer risk, with 30% – 40% of cancers preventable through lifestyle. And most importantly these changes are within our control.
So what’s stopping you lowering your cancer risk today?
About Research
Persistent Poor Awareness of Risk Factors for Cancer in Irish Adult Males: Results of a Large Survey
Aoife Ryan1, Orla Dolan2, Sharon O’Regan1, Jessica Horgan1, Derek Power3
1 School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
2 Cork Cancer research Centre, University College Cork
3 Department of Medical Oncology, Mercy University Hospital, Cork, Ireland