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How women can reduce their risk of cancer

Stop smoking

Around one in seven women in Western Australia smokes daily. Quitting at any age increases your life expectancy, and also has more immediate benefits such as reduced heart rate and blood pressure.

There are a number of support services available if you're thinking of quitting. Talk to your doctor or call the Quitline (13 78 48) for free information and confidential counselling. For extra support, you can register for one of the Cancer Council WA's Fresh Start courses.

Be SunSmart

On an average summer weekend, 12 per cent of Australia women get sunburnt. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is a major risk factor for skin cancer - so reduce your risk by combining the five following steps:

  • Slip on sun protective clothing
  • Slop on SPF 30+ sunscreen
  • Slap on a hat
  • Seek shade
  • Slide on some sunglasses

Take extra care between 10am and 3pm, when UV levels are most intense.

Find out more about preventing skin cancer.

Stay in shape

Around half of Australian women are overweight or obese. If you are overweight, the first step is to stop gaining weight. Then aim for steady weight loss. Increase your physical activity and eat according to your energy needs. Aim for a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2.

Another useful measure is waist circumference. Women should aim for a waist circumference of less than 80cm.

Move your body

Physical activity is necessary for good health, but only around half of Western Australian women do enough physical activity to achieve health benefits.

If you are not physically active, try to slowly increase your levels of planned exercise (eg aerobics, team sports, running, swimming) and incidental activity (eg walking to walk, taking the stairs instead of the lift, gardening). It doesn't have to be strenuous to be effective, but vigorous activity does offer additional benefits.

Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity a day. This can be accumulated in blocks of 10 minutes. As your fitness improves, aim for at least 60 minutes of moderate intensity activity or 30 minutes of vigorous intensity activity every day.

Eat for health

As there is no one food that protects against cancer, it is recommended that you include a variety of nutritious foods in your diet.

Most women still don't eat enough fruit and vegetables for good health. It is recommended that you eat at least two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables every day. Fresh fruit and vegetables are best, but frozen, dried or canned are good alternatives.

Aim to eat at least four serves of breads and cereals each day. Include a variety of wholegrain foods, which have been shown to be helpful for weight control.

Diets high in red and processed meat increase the risk of bowel cancer. Eat only moderate amounts (65-100g) of red meat three to four times a week, and limit consumption of processed meats (eg salami, bacon, ham). Poultry, seafood, nuts and legumes are good alternatives.

Find out more about healthy eating

Avoid or limit alcohol intake

Drinking alcohol increases the risk of many different types of cancer including mouth, liver, breast and bowel cancers. It is recommended that women limit their alcohol intake to no more than two standard drinks per day. One standard drink contains 10 grams of alcohol, which is the amount in a small (100ml) glass of wine.

Alcohol also contains a lot of energy (kilojoules or calories) - similar to the amount in soft drink - and can contribute to weight gain.

Get vaccinated

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common viral infection.  There are more then 100 different types. Certain types have been identified as the major risk factor for cervical cancer and may also linked to vaginal and vulval cancers.

The HPV vaccine can prevent infection from two types of HPV that are responsible for 70% of cases of cervical cancer. Even if you have received an HPV vaccination, it is important that you still have regular Pap smears to screen for cervical cancers caused by HPV types that the vaccination does not protect against.

Fore more information on the HPV vaccination, visit the Immunise Australia Program's website, or watch the Cancer Council WA's 'Just a Minute: What do you know about cervical cancer?' video (on Youtube) or call the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20 to order a copy of the DVD.