The surprising truth about cancer prevention at work

In today’s rapidly evolving workplace environment, supporting staff has never been more vital.

Findings from our most recent Britain’s Healthiest Workplace report, which examined 10 years’ worth of data, found that poor employee health is contributing to significant productivity losses and a staggering economic cost of over £800bn between 2014 and 2023[1].

While more businesses are realising the deep link between employee health and wellbeing and productivity, the focus tends to be more on mental health and musculoskeletal issues. However, an often-overlooked area is in reducing an employees’ risk to long-term health conditions and diseases such as cancer.

"Almost two thirds of employees now expect their employer to play a much more active role in supporting their health and wellbeing"

Pippa Andrews, Director of Corporate Business, Vitality

Working-age cancer rates rising

It’s an unfortunate reality that one in two people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime. But while it’s true that cancer is commonly diagnosed in older people, incidence rates amongst the working age population have been steadily rising in recent years.

In the UK, over half (54%) of all cancer diagnoses are in people aged 50-74[2]. As retirement age increases, this will impact an increasing number of the UK workforce. More worrying is that between 1993-5 and 2016-18, cancer diagnosis rates for those aged 25-49 increased by roughly 22%. During that same period, cancer rates amongst over 75s increased by just 9%[3].

The impact of lifestyle risks

The alarming rise in cancer among younger people has been attributed in part to lifestyle risk factors such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, lack of exercise and poor diet. It’s now estimated that around 40% of all cancers are preventable by addressing these modifiable lifestyle risks[4].

After smoking, obesity is the leading cause of cancer in the UK according to Cancer Research UK, with more than one in 20 cancer cases down to obesity[5]. Concerningly, our data showed that 23% of employees were obese in 2023 – a 51% increase since 2014[1].

Poor diet is another significant risk factor for cancer. For instance, eating too little fibre is linked to 3-4% of cancer cases in the UK, and processed meat consumption is associated with 1-2% of cancer cases[6]. Despite this, we know that more than half (56%) of employees were not eating healthily in 2023[1].

Find out more about cancer trends and how Private Medical Insurance is evolving when it comes to cancer care:

Fostering healthier habits in the workplace

Ultimately, most of us know that we might need to do more exercise, eat a healthier diet, cut down on drinking or quit smoking. However, committing to these things and maintaining them isn’t always easy.

Our working environment and organisational culture can also impact our ability to maintain healthy habits, especially as we spend around one-third of our lives at work. This is where incentivisation and employer support can be particularly transformative.

Employee expectations are changing too: our recent research revealed that almost two-thirds of employees now expect their employer to play a much more active role in supporting their health and wellbeing.

Encouragingly, maintaining a healthy weight and staying physically active can significantly reduce an individual’s chances of getting cancer. In fact, according to Cancer Research UK, being physically active can reduce the risk of 13 different types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer.

Businesses can help create an environment clear of common barriers to exercise by creating a culture of health and wellbeing. This might include discounted gym or exercise class access, walking groups as well as incentivise and offering rewards for healthy habits. Equally, setting up employee challenges in which teams reach activity goals together can also help drive up physical activity levels in a fun, sociable way, and create a helpful sense of community.

The good news for employees is that to lower our risk of cancer doesn’t mean we have to start running ultra marathons. It can be as simple as doing 10,000 steps three times a week (that’s approximately three walking meetings!) which can lower your risk of cancer by 19%, according to our Habit Index research with the LSE. Exercising three or more times each week for three years was also linked to a 27% reduction in overall mortality[7].

In today’s workplace, employers have a unique opportunity to champion employee health and wellbeing, which in turn boosts productivity and morale. By fostering a culture of health businesses can make a profound impact on employee wellbeing and create a thriving work environment in a way that benefits everyone, including employers.

[1] 10 years of Britain's Healthiest Workplace: The changing face of the UK at work, 2025

[2] Cancer incidence by age | Cancer Research UK

[3] Rising cancer incidence in younger adults: what is going on? - The Health Foundation

[4] Number of preventable cancer cases rises by 8,000 | World Cancer Research Fund

[5] How does obesity cause cancer? | Cancer Research UK

[6] Cancer risk statistics | Cancer Research UK

[7] The Vitality Habit Index

Related: Making the most of business health insurance