Stevenson Supports Call to Scale Down Cancer

SNP MSP for Banffshire & Buchan Coast, Stewart Stevenson, is backing Cancer Research UK’s new Scale Down Cancer campaign to help prevent obesity-related cancers across Scotland.

Scotland has one of the heaviest populations in Europe, with two in three adults in Scotland overweight or obese.

And according to new calculations by Cancer Research UK, almost 83,000 children have started primary school overweight or obese in Scotland over the last decade.

Given that obesity is the single biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking, it is important that action is taken to tackle Scotland’s obesity challenges.

The new Cancer Research UK campaign asks politicians to support a call to ensure cancer is scaled down to size in Scotland.

Cancer Research UK wants to see a comprehensive strategy for tackling obesity in Scotland, including measures that focus on tackling the wider factors that lead to the overconsumption of unhealthy foods – such as restricting the advertising of unhealthy food to children and curbing multi-buy discounts.

Commenting, Stewart Stevenson MSP said,

“Four in ten cancers are preventable, yet not enough of us know that obesity is the single biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking. Given the devastating impact that cancer has on families in Banffshire & Buchan Coast, it’s vital we take action on obesity.

“We mustn’t let obesity continue to be the new normal in Scotland, and that’s why I’m joining forces with Cancer Research UK and the Scale Down Cancer campaign.”

Join the conversation on twitter via

@CRUKScotland and #ScaleDownCancer