Why Do Kentucky & Mississippi Have Some Of The Highest Cancer Rates In The Country?

Kentucky ranked fairly high in both the obesity and smoking categories, with the second highest adult smoking rate (24.1%) and the sixth highest adult obesity rate (34.6%).

Related: Smoking Doesn't Just Cause Lung Cancer. It's the Top Risk Factor For Bladder Cancer. Here's How to Quit.

This begs the question of why Utah has such small smoking rates, and it’s suspected it may have to do with the large Mormon population in the state. The Mormon church, also known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the religious group makes up for 61% of the entire state’s population. The reason why this could make such a difference in cancer rates is because this religious community prohibits its members from smoking, drinking alcohol, and using chewing tobacco. Therefore, as more than half of the entire state’s population follows these religious guidelines, it could make a huge difference in statewide cancer rates.

Dr. Ken Miller shares important advice on how to live a healthier lifestyle

Link Between Lifestyle & Cancer

While there is no specific “cause” of cancer, there are certain risk factors associated with certain types of cancers. These factors can pertain to lifestyle, such as diet, exercise, and whether you smoke or drink. As 2021 starts to come to a close, New Years resolutions are starting to come in. That means more drive to exercise, eat healthier, and kick unhealthy habits. People may not know, but this can make a huge difference in reducing your cancer risk.

Related: Many Women Say They're Drinking More During Pandemic, 70% Don't Know Alcohol Increases Cancer Risk, According to SurvivorNet Survey

Alcohol

Although there's no evidence that alcohol directly causes cancer, it has been proven that excessive drinking puts us at higher risk of a cancer diagnosis. In a number of studies looking at breast cancer risk, researchers concluded that women who drank more than about three drinks in one day were at a one and a half times higher risk of developing breast cancer than non-drinkers. Additionally, studies have shown that excessive drinking can increase your risk of colon cancer, and also influence results of colon cancer surgery. So, when winding down your evening with a much-deserved cocktail, just keep moderation in mind.

Dr. Heather Yeo breaks down the link between alcohol and increased cancer risk

Smoking

Smoking is one of the main risks of lung cancer, and the disease is the second most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Even though people who don't smoke can also be diagnosed with the disease, those who smoke are at significantly higher risk. The tobacco in cigarettes is a carcinogen that causes mutations in lung cells and enables the growth of cancer. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society, about 80% of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking. Additionally, smoking can influence outcomes of your lung cancer treatment and surgeries.

Related: Cigarette Sales Increase for the First Time in 20 Years On the Heels Of Lung Cancer Awareness Month; Understand the Risk of Smoking

This being the case, it’s important to limit your amount of smoking or ideally quit altogether. Even if you’ve been a heavy smoker for many years, going cold turkey can make a huge difference in reducing your risk of cancer.

Dr. Joseph Friedberg explains how quitting smoking can influence lung cancer treatment

Diet

Diet appears to have played a role in the state-by-state cancer rates, as states with higher obesity levels — like Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas — all have some of the highest cancer rates in the country.

Obesity increases an individual's risk of developing a range of dangerous health conditions, including several types of cancer (breast cancer, prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer, among others). In addition to increasing the likelihood of developing certain cancers, obesity is associated with worse treatment outcomes. It's no surprise that states that have higher obesity rates, also tend to have higher cancer rates.

Speaking about prostate cancer in particular in a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Stephen Freedland of Cedars Sinai Medical Center said, "Some of the best data we have is that obesity increases the risk of not just getting prostate cancer, but actually dying from prostate cancer. Obese men are 35 percent more likely to die from prostate cancer."

Dr. Stephen Freedland explains how obesity is linked to prostate cancer risk. 

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