According to a recent American Cancer Society survey, less than ten percent of Americans know that being overweight -- and obesity -- is a risk factor for cancer. Of those polled, 83 percent could tell you that being overweight is a risk factor for heart disease, and 57 percent could tell you that obesity puts you at greater risk for diabetes, but only eight percent believed that being overweight and obesity increases your risk for developing cancer. Nearly 20 percent knew their body mass index score, almost 40 percent knew their cholesterol number, 63 percent knew their blood type and interestingly, 65 percent knew the number of judges on Fox's American Idol. What does this say? That the television show, American Idol does a better job of getting people's attention. There's a lesson in here somewhere for the organizations trying to raise awareness about cancer and cancer prevention.
