Guys, read up: about 1 out of 7 men will be told by his doctor that he has prostate cancer. So in other words, prostate cancer is a very common disease. Actually, among American males, the number 3 cause of cancer-related death is prostate cancer, which is just trailing behind cancer of the lungs and colon.

There are risk factors for prostate cancer that you should know about to get yourself armed with the right information — knowing some pertinent facts about the disease can make the war against it a lot easier to win. Risk factors are those things that can increase your odds of having a particular health problem.

In the case of prostate cancer, there are some risk factors for it that you cannot change, which means that you simply have to accept the fact that you have them. This does not necessarily mean, however, that you will surely end up diagnosed with prostate cancer if you have the risk factors.

So here are the risk factors for prostate cancer over which you have no control:

Age 

Up to 60% of all prostate cancer cases involve men who are older than 65 years old. Medical experts say that this type of cancer is rarely found in males younger than 40 years old.

Race or ethnicity 

Those who are at higher risk of prostate cancer are African American men and Jamaican males of African ancestry. Asian and Hispanic men, on the other hand, are less likely to have it.

Family history 

If you have a male relative who is diagnosed with prostate cancer, it’s likely for you to have it, too. Your risk gets higher if several members of your family have this type of cancer.

Genes 

According to medical professionals, having certain mutations in your gene can put you at risk of having prostate cancer as well as any other type of cancer.

Then there are also risk factors for prostate cancer that you can have control over. This only means that dealing with these risk factors can help considerably lower your odds of being diagnosed with prostate cancer one day. So here are some things that you may ditch in order to steer clear of prostate cancer:

Having a Sedentary Lifestyle

We all know that being physically inactive can wreak havoc to your figure and self-confidence. Did you know that it’s also something that can increase your risk of having prostate cancer? According to experts, a sedentary lifestyle is not only a risk factor for prostate cancer, but many other types of cancer and health nightmares, too.

Opting for Fatty Foods

A diet that’s loaded with foods that are packed with fat is definitely a health-wrecker. According to medical professionals, it’s something that may increase your odds of suffering from prostate cancer in the future. Ditch those greasy and fatty foods and include more fruits and vegetables in your diet to keep your prostate out of harm’s way.

Being Overweight

The risk factors for prostate cancer that have been discussed so far can contribute to obesity, which is something that is regarded as another risk factor for the disease. It’s a good idea for you to get rid of those unwanted pounds because being overweight not only increases your chance of having prostate cancer, but many other serious problems, too.

Using Gadgets Late at Night

Based on numerous studies, exposure to artificial light emitted by modern-day gadgets like smart phones and tablets at bedtime can put you at higher risk of having prostate cancer. It all has something to do with the fact that it causes a decline in melatonin production, which can then lead to prostate cancer formation.

Smoking Cigarettes

It’s no secret that cigarette smoking is a habit that can increase your likelihood of developing all sorts of diseases. There are a number of investigations that link smoking cigarettes and the use of tobacco products to the development not only of prostate cancer, but so many other types of cancer such as that of the mouth, throat and lungs.