In a sweeping policy initiative published in January 2025, World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRF) introduced a “Policy Blueprint for Cancer Prevention” designed to guide governments in creating environments that reduce cancer risk and support people living with and beyond a cancer diagnosis.
The blueprint begins with a stark reminder: global annual cancer cases are expected to rise from 20 million in 2022 to 35 million by 2050, meaning roughly one in five people will face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime — with the burden falling hardest on those already disadvantaged by income, education, gender or race.
At its heart, the document draws on the WCRF’s long-standing Cancer Prevention Recommendations and aligns them with a menu of population-level policies. The goal: not only to tell people how to live, but to change the systems in which they live.
What the blueprint recommends
The blueprint lays out a series of evidence-based behaviours that reduce cancer risk: maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in regular physical activity, eating more wholegrains, vegetables, fruit and beans, limiting “fast foods” and other highly processed foods, reducing red and processed meat intake, avoiding or minimising alcohol consumption and not relying on dietary supplements for cancer prevention.
What’s different here is the heavy emphasis on policy: governmental action to make healthier choices the easier choices. The document identifies key policy areas such as marketing restrictions of unhealthy products, fiscal and legal measures (for example taxes or subsidies), designing healthy-safe schools, healthy urban and built environments, promoting active or public transport, procurement and incentives in communities, and embedding counselling and health information in medical care.
For instance, the blueprint states that there is strong evidence linking excess body fatness to at least 13 cancers (including liver, pancreas, kidney, endometrium and advanced prostate). Regular physical activity is likewise shown to protect against several cancers independent of weight, including colon, breast and endometrium.
Why this matters for people living with and beyond cancer
For survivors and those at risk, the blueprint underscores that prevention is not only about avoiding initial diagnoses but also about improving long-term health after one. The document notes that for people previously diagnosed with breast or colorectal cancer, there is growing (though still incomplete) evidence that healthier diets, higher physical activity and maintaining healthy weight may improve outcomes and survival.
Challenges and context
The blueprint also acknowledges that while the behaviours drive risk reduction, many individuals are “locked in” by systems that make unhealthy choices easier. Policies are needed to level the playing field. WCRF points out that despite strong evidence, many governments have not yet implemented the recommended actions.
In addition, although the focus is on behaviour change, the broader economic and societal benefits are noted: tackling cancer risk factors also helps reduce other non-communicable diseases (such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease) and supports sustainability goals.
Key take aways
- The blueprint emphasises that individuals’ choices matter, but are deeply influenced by their environments, and so policy matters too.
- For people living with and beyond cancer, it reinforces that healthy weight, good nutrition and physical activity are increasingly recognised as part of longer-term wellness beyond the treatment phase.
- It signals a shift in cancer prevention thinking: from advising individuals only, to mobilising systems, schools, cities, communities, governments, to create healthier defaults.
In conclusion, the WCRF’s Policy Blueprint for Cancer Prevention sets an ambitious agenda: to harness policy levers at scale so that healthier lives, before, during and after cancer, become more achievable. While implementation will be uneven across countries and settings, the document provides a structured blueprint for change.
Source: https://www.wcrf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/PPA-Blueprint-Matrix-WEB.pdf
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.
