People are unwilling to adopt healthier lifestyle to reduce chances of getting cancer

PEOPLE are reluctant to change their unhealthy lifestyle choices even when they know they could contribute to them getting cancer, new NHS research has found.

Four out of five smokers are not willing to kick the habit to reduce their risk of getting the disease, according to a study revealing “worrying attitudes” towards the disease.

Fifty-one per cent refused to lose weight, while 60 per cent said they would not give up sunbathing or tanning beds, Merseyside NHS Trust and The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust Foundation found.

While recent research suggested 90 per cent of cancers are caused by external factors, the study found people were willing to take a gamble with their health.

Of the 2,010 people asked whether they would change their lifestyles to reduce their risk of cancer, just 20 per cent of the 585 smokers said they would quit.

Fifty-nine per cent were not willing to drink less, 34 per cent would not opt for a healthier diet and 54 per cent were not willing to try to get a better night’s sleep. Fourteen per cent said they would not change anything to reduce their risk of cancer.

The survey also revealed a “glaring lack of knowledge” about recognising the symptoms of cancer – despite 64 per cent having direct experience of the disease, researchers said.