Kenneth Gibson, Co-Convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Cross Party Group on Improving Scotland's Health: 2021 and Beyond, is backing Cancer Research UK’s Scale Down Cancer campaign to help prevent obesity-related cancers across Scotland.
Scotland has one of the heaviest populations in Europe, with around two-thirds (65%) of adults in Scotland and more than one quarter (28%) of children, overweight or obese.
Obesity is the single biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking and so it is important that action is taken to tackle it.
To ensure cancer is scaled down to size in Scotland, tackling foods that are high in sugar, fat and salt are among a range of measures that Cancer Research UK wants to see placed at the heart of the forthcoming SNP Government strategy to improve Scots’ diets.
Kenneth said:
“Four in ten cancers are preventable, yet not enough of us know that obesity is the single biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking. Given the devastating impact that cancer has on families in Ayrshire, it’s vital we take action on obesity.
“We mustn’t let obesity continue to be the new normal in Scotland, and that’s why I support Cancer Research UK and the Scale Down Cancer campaign.”
Join the conversation on twitter via @CRUKScotland and #ScaleDownCancer
ENDS
Cancer Research UK:
Is the world’s leading cancer charity, dedicated to saving lives through research
Its pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives
Every step it makes towards beating cancer relies on donations
Has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival in the UK double in the last forty years
Supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses
For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or how to support it, please call 0300 123 1022 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org .
