New Ohio State research could lead to better cancer prevention plans built on healthy habits. Approximately one in five cancer cases are connected to lifestyle behaviors, with diet and exercise choices among the major factors. “About 16 percent of cancer deaths are attributed or linked to the way we live — the physical activity we engage in, what we eat, what we drink and what our body composition looks like,” says Roberto Benzo, PhD, the director of the Lifestyle Lab at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. Click here to learn more about cancer research at the OSUCCC – James. While those numbers are concerning, experts have identified several ways we can reduce cancer risk through everyday choices, including avoiding smoking and healthy diet and exercise habits. “What can we do ourselves to prevent cancer? We should engage in regular physical activity, follow healthy dietary patterns with fruits, vegetables and whole foods, avoid sugar-sweetened beverages and maintain a healthy weight,” Benzo says. “Also, try to refrain from drinking too much alcohol.” To help patients adopt these behaviors more easily, Benzo and his team are conducting research into programs designed to provide expert assistance through digital devices. “Our interdisciplinary team will reach participants through an app,” he says. “We connect them with professionals so that they can meet the recommendations, and we can teach them how to maintain them.” Click here to learn more about cancer screening at The Ohio State University. The app is part of a family-based study that targets colorectal cancer survivors and caregivers, but the results could help experts create tailored prevention plans for people who have or have had other types of cancer, as well as those who have never been diagnosed. “We're very individual beings, so what works for one person may not work for another,” Benzo says. “As a behavioral scientist, I develop innovative interventions so that we can meet people where they are and kind of be that Rolodex that cycles through until we find out what works for them.” Click here to learn how the staff at our Patient and Family Resource Center supports cancer patients, caregivers and their loved ones.