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It has been reported in the press that there is a three-fold variation in UK bowel cancer death rates depending on where you live. This article considers how much of this might be due to chance.
Such a fantastic analysis. I had to look into Glasgow, and found an article called "Understanding the Glasgow Effect": http://www.sphsu.mrc.ac.uk/research-programmes/mh/hsco/glase... which attributes higher rates for several cancers in Glasgow to binge drinking and a lack of exercise. Hm. Maybe these actually used the same data source. I don't know if I buy that booze and sloth are the only factors.
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richardjordan · 4886 days ago · link ·
PaulB, who wrote the article, has since blogged about the incidence of bowel cancer, rather than the mortality figures he previously reported:
http://pb204.blogspot.com/2011/10/funnel-plot-of-uk-bowel-ca... In that same post he notes a possible connection between (lower levels of) sunlight and bowel cancer. So yes, I think you're right to be suspicious when the "Glasgow effect" is explained by binge drinking and a lack of exercise.