Famous British journal Lancet in a new study says lifestyle risk factors such as smoking, drinking and obesity caused nearly half of cancer deaths in 2019.

Risk factors differ globally based on environmental and economic conditions. Cancer deaths could be prevented by controlling risk factors such as tobacco consumption, alcohol consumption and high BMI, study by the British journal has concluded, reports Hindustan Times.

Researchers found that 34 risk factors, with smoking, drinking and obesity taking the lead. Smoking alone was responsible for some 33.9 per cent of cancer cases.

Findings were based on studying the cases of 10 million people who died in 2019 from 23 different types of cancer.

Christopher Murray, a co-senior author of the study said, "The burden of cancer remains an important public health challenge that is growing in magnitude around the world."

The study also concluded that causes of cancer deaths varied based on the location and Socio-Demographic Index of the countries where patients reside.

Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan