About 40% of cancers could be prevented were people to stop smoking and overeating, limit alcohol intake, exercise regularly and get vaccines that target cancer-causing infections (e.g., HPV, Hepatitis B)

For more information, access the following resource: International Union Against Cancer and their "UICC Population Survey of Cancer-related Beliefs and Behaviours" (PDF), their World Cancer Campaign, “Today’s children, tomorrow’s world” or contact wcc@uicc.org

According to Employee Benefit News [last accessed 2/4/10], the "National Business Group on Health and Fidelity Investments" employer survey states that regardless of the outcome of health care reform, 91% of employers will continue to invest in their health management programs. Among survey findings:

• More than half (57%) of companies report that they use incentives with cash value for their wellness programs. The most common incentives were reducing the employee’s health care premium and offering cash and contributions to a health reimbursement arrangement or a health savings account.
• One out of five companies (20%) spends more than $400 per employee a year on incentives, while 29% spend less than $100 per employee.
• Companies are spending almost the same amount of money on programs aimed at prevention and lifestyle wellness (45%) as on programs that manage conditions after the onset of disease or illness (43%).
• The most prevalent programs in the prevention and lifestyle categories are on-site flu shots (90% of companies offer them), preventive-care reminders related to screenings or annual exams (68%), employee assistance programs (92%), stress management (68%) and smoking cessation (66%).
• The top condition-management programs in use are nurse hotlines where nurses are available to answer questions via telephone (79%), diabetes disease management * (74%), coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure and asthma disease management (69%).

*  The prevention or delay of diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin can persist for at least 10 years. Adding modest lifestyle change (even if poorly attended) to metformin may enhance the drug’s effect. However, what remains to be seen is whether lifestyle or metformin intervention reduces the debilitating (and costly) microvascular and macrovascular complications associated with diabetes.

Nichols GA, Hillier TA, Brown JB. Progression from newly acquired impaired fasting glucose to type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2007;30:228-233. Abstract