British women at greater cancer risk – WHO

According to WHO, on average, one fifth of women across Europe will develop cancer by the age of 75 but as many as a quarter of women in Britain will suffer from a form of cancer before that age. Moreover, British women are 17% more likely to develop cancer by the age of 75 than the average European woman.

It is believed the discrepancy is because of growing rates of obesity and alcohol consumption in the UK.

While many believe that genetics play a large part in someone’s likelihood to get cancer, experts believe a third of the most common forms could be avoided if people ate healthily and did more exercise.