A PROMINENT local politician has admitted he needs to shed a few pounds after taking part in a drive to highlight the links between the condition and cancer. Vale of Clwyd MP Chris Ruane took a break from politics when he had his Body Mass Index measured at the event, organised by Cancer Research UK last week. It was part of an initiative to raise awareness of the impact of obesity on cancer risk and the importance of maintaining a healthy weight. A BMI of between 18.5 and 25 is good, 25 to 30 is overweight and 30 or over would put a person in the obese category. Mr Ruane was shocked when his BMI turned out to be 30.4. "I’m 6ft 1in and I’ve got heavy bones, but I know it’s not good," he said. "I’ve just done 100 minutes on my treadmill. I come into the office at 8am and do all my mail and read the papers while I’m walking at a steady three mph. "I’m really concerned that many people are not aware that changes to their diet and maintaining an active lifestyle could improve their health and reduce their risk of developing cancer." For more information visit www.reducetherisk.org.uk | 
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