Obesity is an epidemic around the world, and the U.S comes in at No. 10 on the list with almost 42% of of the population suffering from the condition. (American Samoa is No. 1; 70% of that population is obese.)

Add to that the fact that 28 million Americans contend with alcohol abuse and almost 11% smoke marijuana, around 9% smoke cigarettes, and 6.5% vape, and you've got a population at risk for a full spectrum of cancers.

The good news is that analysis of data from 185 countries, published in the journal Nature, shows that around 7.1 million of the 18.7 million new cancer diagnoses in 2022 were attributable to avoidable causes.

That means at least 40% of cancer cases are preventable.

Lung, stomach, and cervical cancers made up almost half of all preventable cancers globally — and in the U.S., lung, colorectal, skin, and cervical cancers account for the majority of preventable cancers.

Overall, the major causes of preventable cancers are tobacco, infections (such as HPV and hepatitis B), and alcohol. And in America, ultra-processed foods and metabolic syndrome (diagnosed if you have three of these conditions: excess abdominal weight, elevated triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, elevated blood sugar, high blood pressure) are major additional fuels for cancer.

You know how to cut your risk of cancer:

• Don't smoke anything.

• Drink sparingly or not at all

• Maintain a healthy weight, blood pressure, and glucose level

• Use sunscreen.

• Get a hepatitis B vaccine

• Ditch highly processed foods.