They’re more common than you might think!
Reviewed by Dietitian Karen Ansel, M.S., RDN
Key Points
- Seemingly innocuous habits can quietly increase your risk of developing cancer.
- These include insufficient sleep and exercise, and consuming alcohol and processed meat.
- To protect yourself, move regularly, eat a wide variety of whole foods and limit alcohol.
Cancer touches nearly every family in America. According to the National Cancer Institute, roughly 2 million new cases of cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year, and roughly 39% of Americans will have cancer in their lifetime.
While some risk factors are beyond our control, research shows that many of our daily habits can play a meaningful role in preventing it from happening. “Cancer risk may be hidden in things we do so routinely we barely think about them,” says oncologist Wishwdeep Dhillon, M.D. “Cancer prevention is not about one perfect choice. It is about the small, repeated habits that add up over time.”
Here are four common habits you may not realize are increasing your cancer risk, and what you can do about them.
1. Drinking Alcohol
“The habit that tends to surprise people most is alcohol, because many still don’t realize it’s linked to several cancers,” says Dhillon. Alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning there is strong evidence it causes cancer in humans. That’s the same category as tobacco. The culprit is a form of alcohol called ethanol. When the body breaks down ethanol from an alcoholic drink, it produces acetaldehyde. This toxic byproduct may lead to cancer by damaging DNA and interfering with the body’s ability to absorb nutrients needed to repair cellular damage.
According to the National Cancer Institute, alcohol has been linked to multiple cancers, with the biggest being cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, liver, breast and colon. It’s so problematic that it was responsible for nearly 100,000 cancer cases in the U.S. alone in 2019. Even one drink per day has been associated with increased breast cancer risk in women.
And it doesn’t matter which type of alcohol you prefer. “It’s the ethanol that drives cancer risk, and all alcohol has ethanol,” says Jill McNutt, M.S., RDN. “Red wine, white wine, beer, none of them get a pass.” That’s why the American Cancer Society says no amount of alcohol is safe. But if you do choose to imbibe, they say to cap it at one drink per day if you’re a woman, two if you’re a man.
2. Sitting Too Much
Physical inactivity is surprisingly common and carries real cancer risk. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal that about 25% of Americans are physically inactive. And research links sedentary behavior to increased risk of colon, breast, endometrial and esophageal cancers, among others. Conversely, regular movement helps regulate hormones, decrease inflammation, bolster the immune system and promote a healthy body weight, all of which may reduce cancer risk.
The good news is that even small amounts of movement make a difference, says Taylor Janulewicz, RDN, LD. So, feel free to start small and increase from there. A good goal is to gradually work up to the NCI recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week, plus two weekly strength-training sessions. That could look like brisk walking or bike riding for aerobic exercise, and using resistance bands at home or a strength-training class at the gym for muscle building.
3. Eating Processed Meats Regularly
Like alcohol, processed meat (think deli meats, hot dogs, sausage, bacon and ham) is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen. It is most strongly linked to colon cancer. What makes these meats so problematic? Experts believe that smoking, curing, salting and chemical preservatives used to produce them can trigger the formation of cancer-causing compounds that damage DNA.
It’s worth noting that just because processed meat shares a Group 1 classification with other known causes of cancer, like tobacco, doesn’t mean processed meat is equally dangerous. The classification reflects the strength of the evidence, not the size of the risk. “That doesn’t mean you can never enjoy a piece of bacon,” says McNutt. “But when you zoom out and look at your overall habits, those small daily choices are where real risk reduction happens.”
Dhillon points to the bigger picture. The real concern, he says, is “eating a pattern of foods that leans heavily on processed meats and ultra-processed options instead of more plant-based, fiber-rich foods.” When possible, choose fresh, unprocessed proteins and save the deli counter for the occasional visit.
4. Skimping on Sleep
Sleep is often the first thing we tend to sacrifice when life gets busy. But consistently getting too little shut-eye may carry consequences beyond feeling groggy. “Many people don’t realize that chronic insufficient sleep can disrupt the body’s natural circadian rhythm, which plays an important role in regulating hormones and cell repair,” says Janulewicz. Theoretically, this could increase the risk of cancer; however, the research is still emerging. In the meantime, some studies suggest that long-term disruption to the body’s sleep cycle may increase cancer risk.
Here’s why: When the circadian rhythm is chronically disrupted, whether through shift work, late nights or inconsistent schedules, the body’s ability to detect and correct cellular damage may be compromised. Keeping a consistent sleep schedule and aiming for seven to nine hours of sleep each night are the simplest ways to protect that rhythm.
Strategies to Reduce Cancer Risk
Just as there are habits that increase your cancer risk, there are steps you can take to reduce it. Experts suggest starting with these:
- Try to maintain a healthy weight. In today’s food environment, maintaining a healthy weight can be challenging. It doesn’t help that excess body fat is linked to at least 12 types of cancer. If you are having difficulty losing weight, speak with your health care provider or a registered dietitian. They can provide resources, support and strategies to help you reach a healthy weight.
- Build your plate around whole foods. Make whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes, like beans and lentils, a major part of your daily rotation. These foods are rich in fiber, antioxidants and phytochemicals that support the body’s natural defenses against cellular damage.
- Cut back on sugar-sweetened drinks. Sodas, sweetened coffees and tea and energy drinks contribute excess sugar and empty calories that can quickly lead to weight gain. Try to drink mostly water and unsweetened beverages, especially unsweetened coffee and tea—both contain compounds shown to prevent cancer.
- Skip unnecessary supplements. Some people genuinely need supplements to correct nutrient deficiencies. But unless your health care provider recommends them, it’s best to steer clear. In some cases, high-dose supplements can be harmful, and there’s little evidence they prevent cancer. Instead, aim to meet your nutritional needs by eating a wide variety of whole foods.
Our Expert Take
What you do or don’t do every day can make a big difference in your risk of developing cancer. Seemingly innocuous yet common habits, like drinking alcohol, lack of movement, eating processed meat and insufficient sleep, can increase your odds of cancer. The good news is that meaningful change doesn’t have to be dramatic. Small, consistent steps like moving more, sleeping better, drinking less alcohol and choosing whole foods more often can add up to real protection over time.
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