Scientists have also discovered that eating healthy food and exercising more increases your likelihood of living.

The latest research from the Institute of the Blindingly Obvious (IBO) has found that obesity and a diet of high fat foods increases your risk of cancer.

Bacon, amongst others, came under fire from the report which the media have jumped on with great enthusiasm.

“Obesity worse for cancer than smoking” cried the Daily Mail, patently misrepresenting the report which in fact indicated that extreme levels of obesity may be worse than smoking but smoking was still by far the worst compared to general obesity.

Sky News wasn't much better: “So your thoughts”, said the presenter in a tone not dissimilar to a school teacher berating a naughty pupil, “are YOU going to carry on eating bacon regardless?”, as though tucking into a bacon sarnie was tantamount to sparking up a fistful of B+H.

An important point raised by the BBC was that “two-thirds of cancer cases are not thought to be related to lifestyle and there is little people can do to prevent the disease in these circumstances”.

These frequent reports high-lighting dangerous foods and lifestyles are all fairly consistent in their findings, it is generally the mass media that decides the news is shocking and we get to the point where ‘eating bacon gives you cancer’.

Perhaps its time for a more measured approach from certain news outlets before the average Joe is too afraid to eat anything other than organic cranberry juice or do anything other than jog on the spot all day.