The Cancer-Free Societies Around The World

Cancer is an ever-growing problem in our modern world.

Though it has been around for centuries—dating as far back as 3,000 B.C. [1]—it’s chiefly in the last few decades that it has become a more widespread and serious problem.

What’s interesting is that the problem is graver in some parts of the world, where others are less affected. Why is that, you might ask?

That’s what this blog post intends to examine…

Below, we’ll take a look at the countries most affected by cancer, as well as the countries least affected, and compare the two. We’ll look at cultural, dietary, and environmental factors, among others, and see if we can’t figure out some common thread that links these lower-cancer societies.

By the end of this page, we’ll all have a clearer understanding about why certain societies around the world have higher or lower cancer rates than others.

Introduction: A Global Cancer Crisis

The World Health Organization has followed the progression of cancer and tracked cancer rates, and there is plenty of evidence to prove cancer is becoming an ever-greater threat!

According to their data [2]:

• Roughly 1 in 5 people will develop cancer in their lifetime.
• Roughly 1 in 9 men and 1 in 12 women die from cancer.
• There were 20 million new cancer cases and 9.7 million cancer deaths in 2022 alone. That number is predicted to rise to around 35 million new cancer cases per year by 2050—a 77% increase, roughly on par with the increase in cancer rates between 1990 and 2019 [3].
• Lung, breast, and colorectal cancer cases are the three most common cancers.

Clearly, it’s a problem that’s getting worse—in some countries far more than others.

Societies with the Highest Cancer Rates

As mentioned above, based on data from the World Cancer Research Fund International [4], there were just under 20 million new cancer cases diagnosed in 2022. That comes out to just under 200 people per every 100,000. Men tended to have a significantly higher rate of cancer than women (212 vs. 186 per 100,000).

Non-melanoma skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer—roughly 1.2 out of that 20 million.

Accounting for non-melanoma skin cancer, Australia had the highest cancer rates in the world—around 462 people per 100,000 had cancer. New Zealand followed close on its heels with 427 per 100,000.

Removing non-melanoma skin cancer from the equation, Denmark proved to have the highest global cancer rates—around 350 per 100,000.

Other countries with high cancer rates (above 300 per 100,000) included the USA, France, Norway, the Netherlands and Ireland.

China had the highest number of cases—around 4.8 million—but due to their high population, that only numbered around 200 per 100,000.

However, theUSA had the second highest number of cases—around 2.4 million—but with only a fraction of China’s population.

For a number of cases, India, Japan, and Russia followed close behind.

Societies with the Lowest Cancer Rates

In terms of case numbers alone, the countries with the lowest cancer rates are: 

• Sao Tome and Principe;

• Vanuatu;

• Samoa;

• Belize;

• Guam;

• Cape Verde;

• Saint Lucia;

• Maldives.

These all have fewer than 500 cancer deaths per year.

However, because of their low population, some of them have a significantly higher cancer rate per person—for example, Samoa only had 400 cancer cases in 2022, but at a rate of 240 per 100,000 people.

According to the World Health Organization [3], the countries with the lowest cancer rates by population are: 

• Sierra Leone;

• Angola;

• Gambia;

• Nepal;

• Qatar;

• Yemen;

• Rwanda;

• Niger;

• Timor Leste.

These all have under 100 cases per 100,000 people.

India and Mexico have the lowest cancer death rates in the world [4].

Common Factors in Lower Cancer Rate Societies

Taking a look at the countries with both the fewest number of cancer cases and the lowest cancer rates by population, a few common factors become abundantly clear:

• Lower exposure to environmental pollution. Island countries may have some pollution, but nowhere near the scale prevalent in countries like the U.S. and China. The same goes for developing African nations.

• Higher rates of activity. Many of the societies with lower cancer rates have more activity out of sheer necessity. A large percentage of the population travels on foot or spend more time engaged in farming, animal husbandry, forestry, and other community activities that facilitate their daily lives. Some countries—such as Samoa or Belize—emphasize team and recreational sports.

• Plant-forward diets. While most of the countries with lower cancer rates do eat at least some meat, many of them are more plant-forward. Nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes tend to comprise the majority of the diets in these countries.

• Less artificial and processed food. Modern food production and distribution methods make it nearly impossible to totally avoid all processed and artificial foods. Junk food is made in and imported into even these countries from around the world. However, the amount of processed/artificial food included in the average person’s diet in these countries is significantly lower than in modern countries like the United States, Australia, and China.

• Lower genetic risk. Genetics play a role in certain types of cancers (as with many other diseases). In countries that historically have higher rates of certain cancers, genetics will conspire to keep those rates high. The countries with lower cancer rates will usually have lower rates of those cancers affected by genetics, so there is less risk passed on from generation to generation.

• Lower stress societies. While stress exists everywhere around the world, many of the societies on the lower end of the cancer rate spectrum are living a slower-paced, lower-stress life.

• Lower tobacco consumption. Mexico has a tobacco consumption rate of around 13%, while countries like France (which have higher cancer rates and cancer mortality rates) have nearly double the consumption.

• Lower occupational risk. Countries with lower cancer rates tend to have lower occupational risk (handling fewer chemicals/cancer-causing substances) than those with higher cancer rates. People are less likely to be exposed to radiation and cancer-causing substances at work.

• Lower UV exposure and damage. In Australia and New Zealand, rates of non-melanoma skin cancer are off the charts because of high UV exposure caused by damage to the ozone layer. However, countries with lower rates of cancer typically have lower UV exposure—though not necessarily sun exposure. Darker skin tones (caused by higher melanin levels) among the countries with lower cancer rates also contribute to protecting against skin cancers.

• Early diagnosis and cancer management guidelines. Mexico, for example, has multiple programs set up to increase awareness of and screen for cancer (i.e., breast, colon, and cervical cancer) and stringent guidelines for managing cancer treatment and cases. India, too, also prioritizes early cancer detection and prevention, which seems to be a significant factor in reducing mortality rates. Cancer discovered early is more manageable and treatable.

Lastly, in some cases, there is also a possibility that differences in cancer rates between the low and high occurrence regions may be partly attributed to disparities in cancer diagnosis capabilities. In regions with limited access to healthcare, cancers may go undetected or be diagnosed at later stages, lowering reported rates

How to Reduce Your Cancer Risk

After taking a closer look at all of these factors, it’s easy to see why some countries have lower cancer rates than others. Everything from dietary to environmental to healthcare factors can influence both cancer prevalence and mortality.

What does this mean for you? Well, it’s actually pretty simple: no matter where you live, there are ways you can reduce your cancer risk.

Take a look at the factors listed above. Some of them—for example, environmental pollution—may be a problem you can do little about (without moving away from industrialized areas, which isn’t always possible).

Others, however, are much more feasible: 

• Wear sunscreen to protect your skin against UV damage. Melanoma is one of the most common forms of cancer, but it’s also one that can be easily prevented by shielding your skin against the radiation present in sunlight. Apply sunscreen every time you plan to spend more than 30 minutes in the sun.

• Eat a healthy, natural, plant-forward diet. Raw, natural, and healthy foods will provide your body with crucial vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants that can boost your immune response (against both cancer and disease), as well as improve digestion and prevent the formation of cancer cells. Make sure your diet involves as little artificial and processed food as possible, as these foods are highly cancer-causing.

• Be more active in your daily life. More activity reduces stress and improves your body’s function on a cellular level. Research has shown [6] that people who do more exercise tend to have a lower risk of developing cancer.

• Lower stress. Stress, though not a direct cause of cancer, is one of the primary risk factors that elevate cancer risk. Stress can weaken your immune system and make your body less able to respond to cancer cells, and may even accelerate the growth and metastasis of existing tumors.
• Eliminate (or reduce) tobacco consumption. Lung cancer is one of the three most common forms of cancer, due to high smoking rates around the world. To reduce your cancer risk, quit smoking to prevent the inhalation of cancer-causing carcinogens and smoke.
• Get proactive with frequent cancer screenings to catch any problems early. Early detection and treatment drastically elevates survival rates. With some cancers—specifically prostate cancer, testicular cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, and melanoma, among others—the five-year survival can be anywhere from 96 to 100% if the cancer is detected and treated while still in Stage 0, Stage 1, or Stage 2.

If you can start doing these things now, you will have a far better chance of reducing your risk of developing cancer.

You may never fully protect yourself against it—sadly, cancer can develop in even the healthiest body, that’s just how aggressive it can be—but you create the best internal and external environment for a cancer-free life.

To lower your cancer risk, it’s essential to create an internal and external environment that supports your body’s ability to detoxify, regenerate, and protect itself. From choosing a cleaner diet to limiting toxic exposures, small lifestyle changes can have a profound impact—especially when paired with targeted support for your detox organs. That’s exactly why we created Restore Detox: a powerful herbal formula designed to support your liver and kidneys, help flush out environmental toxins, and give your body the foundation it needs to thrive.

To further support your liver and assist your natural detox pathways, you should consider herbal supplementation. We partnered with environmental toxin specialists and supplement formulators to create the best formula on the market that supports your liver and kidneys detox organs in a safe way – it’s called Restore Detox.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top 3 deadliest cancers?

The three cancers with the highest rates of death in the world today are lung and bronchus cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer. However, the cancers with the lowest five-year survival rates are pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, and intrahepatic bile duct cancer.

Why do cancer survivors age faster?

Some experts and researchers [7] believe that cancer survivors age faster due to the fact that the cancer damaged healthy tissue (which may have had to be removed surgically). The damage may trigger accelerated cellular aging of that healthy tissue. Cancer treatments like radiation and chemotherapy can also damage DNA, shorten telomeres, and trigger cellular senescence, all of which speeds up cellular aging.

Does your body ever fully recover from chemotherapy?

The majority of chemotherapy effects will wear off over time. They are temporary and your health will typically improve after the end of treatment. However, some of the effects can last for months or even years. Recovery in cancer patients will depend on a variety of factors, including your individual health, the side effects experienced, and the type of chemotherapy used in treatment.