Healthy active childhood reduces risk of cancer

In observance of World Cancer Day, the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC), a partner agency of the International Union Against Cancer (IUCC) in the global fight against cancer, recently launched a campaign to raise awareness on childhood cancers throughout the Philippines.

The theme for this year is “I love my healthy active childhood.”

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is rising dramatically among adults and children around the world. According to the World Health Organization, one billion adults are overweight and at least 300 million of them are clinically obese.

The International Obesity Task Force estimates that one out of every 10 school-age children is overweight. Around 30 to 45 million are classified as obese, accounting for two to three percent of the world’s children, aged five to 17.

Being overweight or obese has been shown to increase the risk of cancer among adults.

“Overweight or obesity can lead to cancer,” said Dr. Julius Lecciones, executive director of the PCMC. “We should encourage kids to balance food and drink choices with physical activity.”

Because healthy habits start early, the campaign calls on families, health professionals, educators and policymakers to help children eat a healthy diet and be physically active so they can maintain a healthy body weight. This sets children on the right path to reducing their risk of cancer later in life.

PCMC’s awareness camapaign is in support of the global “My Child Matters” program launched in 2005.

The program is focused on childhood cancers and aims to generate a movement that stimulates collective responsibility and actions to improve care.

This year’s campaign kicked off with a mass exercise activity at the PCMC grounds to emphasize the need for a healthy lifestyle.

Doctors, healthcare professionals and advocates led by Sanofi-Aventis Philippines, a major supporter of the My Child Matters campaign, took part in the activity.