The strong message heading the ministry's campaign in partnership with the Cancer Foundation is that "40% of cancers can be avoided by having a healthier lifestyle." The campaign is fronted by retired tennis player Gilles Muller and is above all advocating the prevention of cancer.
Alongside early detection, prevention is one of the most significant aspects to fighting cancer. Not smoking, reducing your alcohol intake to be more moderate, eating healthily, and regular physical activity could reduce your cancer risk by 40%.
The importance of this campaign is predominantly due to the startling statistics concerning cancer in the Grand Duchy. Every year, 3,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed. Cancer is the most predominant cause of death in men (32.1%) and the second most predominant cause of death in women (26.7%). In total, cancer is at the root cause of 28.2% of deaths in Luxembourg.
Medical progress in recent years has certainly increased the recovery rate of those diagnosed with cancer, but the rather high prevalence rate in Luxembourg means that the illness is a significant challenge for Luxembourg's health services.
Both the Cancer Foundation and the Ministry of Health have measures in place to help prevent cancer. The foundation offers a number of free services to help individuals to stop smoking, raise awareness concerning food habits with their Food Lab, and to promote physical activity with the FITeam.
As for the ministry, the national tobacco plan 2016-2020 aims to prevent smoking amongst children and young people. As well as this, the ministry offers material to stop smoking and enacts measures to protect the population against passive smoking.
Smokers hoping to quit can receive guidance and advice from a health professional of their choice as well as receive financial aid for medication helping them to quit smoking.
Over the last ten years, there have been more than 500 projects under the header of GIMB - Gesond iessen, Méi bewegen (Eat healthily, move more). The general aim of the national action plan GIMB 2018-2025 will be to promote a more balanced diet and fight the issue of obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
