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Prevalence, trend, and sociodemographic association of five modifiable lifestyle risk factors for cancer in Alberta and Canada

Cancer Causes & Control volume 20, Article number: 395 (2009) Cite this article

Abstract

Objectives

To examine the 12-year trend, in Alberta and Canada, of five modifiable lifestyle risk factors for cancer, and their associations with sociodemographic factors.

Methods

Six surveys collected data from Canadians aged ≥12 years. The prevalence, trends, and sociodemographic association of five lifestyle risk factors (smoking, inactivity, excessive drinking, overweight/obesity, and insufficient fruit/vegetable intake) were examined.

Results

Smoking and inactivity decreased significantly: by 5.4% and 2.7% (Alberta men) and 4.9% and 12.1% (Alberta women); by 7.5% and 8.5% (Canada men) and 7.7% and 11.9% (Canada women). Excessive drinking increased significantly: by 3.6% (men) and 0.9% (women), Alberta; by 2.5% (men) and 0.9% (women), Canada. Overweight/obesity significantly increased by 6.0% (Alberta) and 4.1% (Canada) in women. Being female, single, highly educated, or having higher income decreased the likelihood of exposure to multiple lifestyle risk factors; being middle aged, widowed/separated/divorced, or in poor health condition increased the likelihood.

Conclusions

The downward trends for smoking and physical inactivity were in a direction that may help reduce cancer burden. The excessive drinking and overweight/obesity trends did not change in desired direction and deserve attention. The clustering of the lifestyle risk factors in specific social groups provides useful information for future intervention planning.

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Acknowledgment

We wish to express our gratitude to Statistics Canada for granting our access to the Research Data Centre (RDC) where this data analysis was conducted. We would also like to thank Ms. Irene Wong and Shirley Loh at the RDC for their full support and assistance when the data analysis was conducted at the RDC.

Disclaimer

The research and analysis are based on data from Statistics Canada and the opinions expressed do not represent the views of Statistics Canada.

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Affiliations

  1. Division of Population Health and Information, Alberta Cancer Board, 14th Floor, Sun Life Building, 10123 99 St, Edmonton, AB, Canada, T5J 3H1

    Feng Xiao Li, Paula J. Robson, Yiqun Chen & Zhenguo Qiu

  2. Division of Population Health and Information, Alberta Cancer Board, 1331, 29 Street NW, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 4N2

    Geraldine Lo Siou

  3. Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, 1 University Ave., Suite 300, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5J 2P1

    Heather E. Bryant

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  1. Feng Xiao Li
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  2. Paula J. Robson
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  3. Yiqun Chen
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  5. Geraldine Lo Siou
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Correspondence to Feng Xiao Li.

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Li, F.X., Robson, P.J., Chen, Y. et al. Prevalence, trend, and sociodemographic association of five modifiable lifestyle risk factors for cancer in Alberta and Canada. Cancer Causes Control 20, 395 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-008-9254-2

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Keywords

  • Prevalence
  • Trend
  • Lifestyle risk factors
  • Sociodemographic factors
  • Cancer