Health Action Teaches Teenagers How to Avoid Cancer

12th June 2009

Action Cancer has revealed new results from its Centra-sponsored Health Action programme for young people, which show its success in educating teenagers about cancer prevention.

The local charity regularly evaluates its schools education project and the results from a recent survey of five hundred teenagers found that they were much better informed about how to avoid cancer in later life after they took part in Health Action. The programme has been sponsored by Centra since 2003.

Before attending Health Action sessions, which focus on healthy eating, exercise, early detection and the dangers of smoking and alcohol, 73% of young people knew that eating the right kind of foods can help protect against cancer. Afterwards that figure increases to 87%. The number of young people who know that frozen vegetables are just as good for you as fresh ones almost doubles once they take part in an Action Cancer session.

Over the past five years £550,000 of funding from Centra has helped Action Cancer bring Health Action sessions to 250,000 young people across Northern Ireland.

Victoria College Belfast student Alison Mallon (15) is joined by Action Cancer Health Promotion Officer Catherine Morrow, right, and Centra Brand Manager Nicky Kelly to illustrate the success of the charity’s health promotion programme.