Studying the role of modifiable risk factors: Nutrition and body weight for the prevention of cancer

Nearly half of Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer during their life. Healthy eating, a healthy body weight, and regular physical activity can prevent one-third of cancers. Yet, many Canadians do not engage in these lifestyle behaviours. New approaches to improve diet-cancer research are needed to move the field forward and reduce the burden of cancer on Canadians.

Dr. Murphy's research focuses on modifiable risk factors for cancer; nutrition and body weight. The goal is to provide new insight on how and why these factors contribute to cancer development using data from large populations of Canadians and innovative approaches such as lifestyle biomarkers that may explain why factors lead to cancer development.

Advances in cancer prevention are needed to promote the health of people in BC and nationwide. This research will provide new insight into modifiable factors for cancer that may help encourage lifestyle changes and development of new strategies to prevent cancer.