A new report by the American Cancer Society says the cancer mortality rates continue to drop nationwide. U.S. death rates from the disease have declined by 18.4 percent among men and by 10.5 percent among women since mortality rates first started going down in the early 1990's. But Beth Lunow, State Vice President of the ACS, says unfortunately the numbers still have not caught up with increasing population including more senior citizens. She says cancer affects the aging population at a higher rate.
Lung Cancer deaths have dropped among men and leveled off among women. The report attributes this to fewer people smoking over the years. Lunow says nevertheless, more people die of lung cancer than any other type. She says encouraging people to quit smoking or never start would be one of the biggest factors in impacting cancer rates.
Lunow says be careful in consuming too much of the "Wisconsin staples" of cheese, sausages and beer. Lunow recommends a balanced diet including fruits, vegetables, grains and high fiber foods.
