UK women face a heightened risk of cancer compared with their neighbours in Europe, experts have claimed.
According to World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) estimates, about a quarter of women in the UK develop cancer by the age of 75, compared with 21 per cent across Europe.
This means that UK women are around 17 per cent more likely to develop cancer by this age.
Dr Rachel Thompson, the WCRF's deputy head of science, said that obesity and alcohol consumption in the UK are 'a concern', because both of these factors are associated with an increased risk of cancer.
She observed: 'They are not the only reasons for the differing cancer rates, but there is now very strong evidence that women who drink a lot of alcohol are at increased risk of developing the disease and that excess body fat is also an important risk factor.'
Last year, WCRF warned that nearly half of women in England had an increased risk of cancer because of their large waistlines.
The charity claimed that 44 per cent of women had a raised waistline, compared with 32 per cent of men.