Every day, it seems, there’s a trending news headline about a habit that can give you cancer. Sure, you already know that smoking isn’t great for your health. But even habits that seem harmless—like sitting all day or using items made of plastic—now seem dangerous.
Other habits that you may worry will give you cancer: being stressed out, not getting enough sleep, being exposed to air pollution, getting a gel manicure, eating candy…When you start thinking about all of the potential cancer-causing habits, it can start to feel pretty overwhelming.
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But what actually matters and what’s more alarmist than legitimate? No one knows better than an oncologist who works with cancer patients every day. Part of an oncologist’s job is keeping up to date on the latest scientific research about what causes cancer and how to treat it. They see firsthand the impact that lifestyle habits and environmental exposures can have.
With that in mind, we asked Dr. Khalil Choucair, MD, an oncologist and member of the Thoracic Oncology Multidisciplinary Team at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, what habits he personally makes an effort to avoid to lower his risk of cancer. His advice for lowering your risk is a lot less overwhelming than you may think.
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How Much Control Do You Have Over Cancer Prevention?
Is who gets cancer left completely up to chance or is it something we can control? The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Dr. Choucair says that an estimated 30% of cancer cases are preventable through diet and lifestyle habits. This is similar to data reported by the World Health Organization and the American Association for Cancer Research, which both say that 40% of all cancer cases are preventable.
Dr. Choucair says that obesity, diet quality and tobacco use are three major factors to consider when it comes to cancer risk. According to a 2023 scientific review published in Cancers, between 4 and 8% of all cancers are attributed to obesity. The paper’s researchers and authors explained that the reason for this connection is complicated and is not fully understood. The theory is that it’s related to fatty acid metabolism, chronic inflammation, secretion of certain hormones and immune dysregulation, among other factors.
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What’s encouraging is that weight loss medications like GLP-1s seem to be playing a role in reducing cancer risk related to obesity, as shown in a 2025 study published in JAMA Oncology.
Certainly obesity isn’t the only risk factor for cancer—it’s not even the biggest one. It’s just one to be aware of. Dr. Choucair says that anyone with a diet high in ultra-processed foods and low in fruits and vegetables is at increased risk for cancer. A 2025 study published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition backs this up, showing that a diet high in ultra-processed foods is associated with increased risk of several cancers, including colorectal, breast, liver and pancreatic cancer because these foods increase inflammation in the body.
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5 Habits an Oncologist Never Does at Home
When it comes to lowering his own risk of cancer, Dr. Choucair says that there are five habits he avoids, which are listed and explained below.
1. Eat fast food regularly
Dr. Choucair says that he very rarely eats fast food. Scientific data is pretty clear about the connection between fried foods (like French fries and onion rings) and fatty meats (like burgers, hot dogs and bacon) and cancer risk.
For what it’s worth, three oncologists previously told Parade that they avoid ordering fried foods at restaurants for this very reason. Deep frying exposes foods to very high temperatures, which can produce compounds such as acrylamide and other chemicals that researchers continue to study for their potential role in cancer risk.
2. Add sugar to coffee or tea
When Dr. Choucair makes a cup of coffee or tea, he says he has it black and doesn’t add any sugar or sweeteners to it. On their own, both coffee and tea are associated with reducing cancer risk when consumed regularly. But as soon as sugar enters the picture, that benefit is completely negated.
3. Use tobacco
You knew this one would be on the list, right? Dr. Choucair says that he never uses tobacco. “I do not use tobacco in any form,” he emphasizes. While many people know that smoking or vaping can cause lung cancer, many people do not realize that it increases the risk of at least 16 other types of cancer too, including mouth, liver, breast, stomach, ovary and bowel cancers.
4. Live a sedentary lifestyle
While everyone needs downtime, too much lounging around isn’t good for your health. “I exercise three to four times a week,” Dr. Choucair says. Truly any type of exercise is beneficial, even (and especially) walking, as shown by a 2025 study that took into account more than 431,000 people. Researchers found that the faster you walk, the greater the benefits. But truly walking at any speed is beneficial.
5. Eat ultra-processed foods
When it comes to diet, Dr. Choucair says that he follows the Mediterranean diet, which has been repeatedly associated with a decreased risk of cancer. This way of eating centers around vegetables, fruit, plant-based proteins, lean meats, seafood and healthy fats from olive oil, nuts and seeds while minimizing ultra-processed foods and red meat. As it was explained earlier, ultra-processed foods increase inflammation. All the foods part of the Mediterranean diet decrease it.
The #1 Habit That Matters Most
If you want to start prioritizing habits that lower your risk of cancer, where should you start? There’s one habit that Dr. Choucair says matters far and above anything else: avoiding tobacco. “The most important way to reduce your risk of cancer is by not smoking or otherwise using tobacco products and by avoiding secondhand smoke,” he says.
According to the American Cancer Society, 80% of lung cancer cases and lung cancer deaths are related to smoking. Let that sink in for a second. On top of that, smoking causes about 20% of all cancers and 30% of all cancer deaths in the U.S.
If you don’t use tobacco, the next best place to start is diet. Three of the five habits Dr. Choucair avoids are related to this. The more whole foods you eat and the less ultra-processed, the better.
It should feel empowering to know that cancer isn’t left completely up to chance. While no one can decrease their risk completely, there’s a lot you can do. The everyday choices you make really do matter, especially when it comes to your health.
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Sources
Dr. Khalil Choucair, MD, oncologist and member of the Thoracic Oncology Multidisciplinary Team at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute. Four in ten cancer cases could be prevented globally. World Health Organization. Preventing Cancer: Identifying Risk Factors. American Association for Cancer Research. Pati, S., Irfan, W., Jameel, A., et al. (2023). Obesity and Cancer: A Current Overview of Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Outcomes, and Management. Cancers. 15(2):485. Dai, H., Li, Y., An Lee, Y., et al. (2025). GLP-1 Receptor Agonists and Cancer Risk in Adults With Obesity. JAMA Oncology. 11(10):1186-1193. Kantilafti, M., Magiakou, E. and Chrysostomou. (2025). Ultra-processed foods and cancer risk: a narrative review of epidemiological findings and biological mechanisms. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 76(8):843-852. How does smoking cause cancer? Cancer Research UK. Mak, J. K. L., Choon Beng Tan, K., Jylhӓvӓ, J., et al. (2025). Walking Speed and Risk of Cancer in Two Prospective Cohort Studies. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle. 16(3):e13792. Health Risks of Smoking Tobacco. American Cancer Society.Hence then, the article about i m an oncologist these are 5 everyday habits i never do at home was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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