I realize that this is a field in which you devote much effort, but I do not
read this from these findings.  It is a bit of a stretch to take such data
and twist it being into an smear against the poor.

Granted those with fewer resources may be at greater risk for certain
cancers, but this story was on data collected regarding diet and physical
activity.  I have not seen the data and do not know the extend of the
statistical analyses.  In this story there was no mention of an analysis
regarding level of income, so I question the validity of projecting these
findings simply because it fits a pattern that you might ascribe to; unless,
of course, you are privy to such an analyses. The story relates to higher
risk of cancer in 30% of Canadian adults.  Is it your contention that these
the 30% of Canadians with the lowest income and those you describe below
that are on the outs of society?   Are these the ones represented by the
data?  In the actual study it was found that diet was affected by income,
with those at lower income tending to have a lower intake of fruits and
vegetables, but a reverse trend was seen with physical activity, with higher
incomes having lower physical activity.


This is a difficult issue and my intent is not to pick an argument, it is
just that the connection between diet, activity and risk of cancer is not a
new. There are a number of risk factors that include exposure to pollutants,
air quality, etc, but this study looked at diet and activity.   What would
you expect to do with such data?  Suppress it because it might be taken out
of context and offend?  The ideal would be to collect sufficient data to be
able to control for salient factors, and to make conclusions that consider
the relevant confounds.   In a similar fashion it is essential to
investigate the role played by other factors, including access to
appropriate health care and screenings and interventions to see what effects
they are having.

Regards,


Ed Blonz


-----Original Message-----
From: Health Promotion on the Internet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Dennis Raphael
Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2003 6:46 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: respect?


People who get cancers -- except for breat cancer -- are more likely to be
low income people.

We and they are told that people who get cancers  are lazy (sloth) and
ignorant of what they should be eating.

The evidence however indicates that income and social class are the best
predictors of cancers independent of "lifestyle" and even then eating fruits
and vegetables is heavily determined by life circumstamces most of which are
beyond the control of individuals.

The messages then:

1. You are responsible for your own cancers.
2.  If you engage in these activities it is your own fault for getting
cancer. 3.  Yet, the evidence indicates that the determinants of cancer --
both environmental and lifestyle -- are heavily structured by societal
allocation of resources. 4.  Therefore, governments CAN ASSUME they have NO
responsibility to address these issues, and people who get cancer -- usually
more prevalent among the poor -- have nobody to blame but themselves for
their predicament. 5. And we health workers did all we could by letting
these poor souls know their "lifestyle habits" are leading them to the
grave.

I repeat the 10 tips that are consistent with that story. And then the ones
more consistent with the actual evidence.

Ten Tips For Better Health
 - Donaldson, 1999

Don't smoke. If you can, stop. If you can't, cut down.

Follow a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables.

Keep physically active.

Manage stress by, for example, talking things through and making time to
relax.

If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.

Cover up in the sun, and protect children from sunburn.

Practise safer sex.

Take up cancer screening opportunities.

Be safe on the roads: follow the Highway Code.

Learn the First Aid ABC : airways, breathing, circulation


YET THE EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT:

 Ten Tips for Staying Healthy
 - Dave Gordon, 1999.

Don't be poor. If you can, stop. If you can't, try not to be poor for long.

Don't have poor parents.

Own a car.

Don't work in a stressful, low paid manual job.

Don't live in damp, low quality housing.

Be able to afford to go on a foreign holiday and sunbathe.

Practice not losing your job and don't become unemployed.

Take up all benefits you are entitled to if you are unemployed, retired or
sick or disabled.

Don't live next to a busy major road or near a polluting factory.

Learn how to fill in the complex housing benefit/ asylum application forms
before you become homeless and destitute


Okay?

dr

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