Could your cuppa or a tight belt raise your cancer risks?
Hot cuppas: Drinking tea and coffee has lots of health benefits, but don’t sip your pick-me-up too soon.
In a study by the University of Cambridge, people who liked their drink very hot had a four times greater risk of developing oesophageal cancer. It is thought thermal injury damages the throat allowing the dangerous cells to form.
Add a splash of cold milk and wait a few minutes for it to cool down before guzzling.
Tight clothes: While there’s no good evidence showing wearing tight undies can cause testicular cancer, you might not want to wear a belt or waistband that is too restrictive.
A Scottish study in 2013 linked the habit to increased acid reflux, which can damage cells in the oesophagus, sometimes leading to cancer.
Sitting down: Spending too long being sedentary isn’t just a risk for your heart. A study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found those who spend more than six hours a day sitting down are up to 10% more likely to develop cancers of the womb and lungs. Try to work regular movement breaks into your day so you get your circulation pumping.
Other researchers linked binge-watching more than four hours of TV a day with a higher chance of bowel cancer, so get off the sofa in the evening and move around more.
Oral sex: The human papilloma virus is known to trigger mouth and throat cancer. It is often passed on through oral sex.
Research reveals having oral sex at a younger age and with more partners in a shorter time period heightens the risk.
Men are four times more likely to get cancer this way than women, according to a US study.
If eligible, make sure you (or your children) have the HPV vaccine.
Staying up: Being a night owl has been associated with a higher risk of breast cancer, according to a study by the University of Bristol, so try going to bed by 11pm.
Women who stay up late at night are twice as likely to develop breast cancer compared with larks who rise early. A Swedish study also found snorers appeared to be more at risk of developing cancer, perhaps to do with the lack of oxygen they get during the night.
Losing weight can help to reduce snoring – a double win.
Body shape: Being taller may up your prospects of getting cancer. A University of Oxford study found for every 4in above 5ft a person was, they had a 16% increased risk across 10 common cancers. It’s thought to be linked to higher exposure to growth factors in early life.
Men with a long ring finger could be three times more likely to develop prostate cancer according to another study, while there is evidence women with larger busts are at a greater risk of breast cancer. That said, a US study linked excess body weight to about 11% of cancers in women and about 5% of cancers in men, as well as about 7% of all cancer deaths. So focus on what you can change, rather than things you can’t.
Hair colour: Having the genes that give you red hair increases your risk of skin cancer by the equivalent of 21 extra years of sun exposure, according to one study, so be sure to slap on the SPF 50.
But there are benefits too. Redheads are 54% less likely to develop prostate cancer than those with blond, brown or black hair.