Here's what you need to know when it comes to it inadvertently increasing your chances of having different types of cancers.

The more fat your body stores the higher the risk

Having a higher ratio of fat can cause the scales of your Body Mass Index to tip significantly, which puts you at a higher risk of diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. When your body begins to store high levels of visceral fat, which is fats stored in your organs, it increases your chances of getting cancer. For men, this could mean prostate cancer.

According to government health reports, 31% of men and 68% of women in South Africa are obese. Changing your lifestyle can help you reduce your risk of being part of 1 in 28 South African’s who are diagnosed with cancer each year. By including healthy meals in your diet and exercising for at least 30 minutes each day, you can help reduce your chances.

Check your BMI and go for health check-ups

Finding out where to start doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Knowing your current BMI by using tools such as a BMI calculator to see if you have a healthy weight is easy to determine. Coupling this with regular health check-ups can lead to early detection of cancer so that you can get access to the right treatment as soon as possible.

A rule of thumb when it comes to obesity is knowing the measurement of your waist area. A high-risk waistline is anything above 80cm for women and 94cm or more for men. Having a waistline that is above these numbers could lead to an early death and is something that can be easily avoided by adjusting your lifestyle.

While maintaining a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk of having cancer, it doesn’t mean it is not possible for you to get cancer. Somethings in life are beyond our control which is why it is vital to have life cover in place that will protect you financially during those unforeseeable events.