Many people continue to believe in mythical cancer risk factors, new research suggests.

According to a UK study of over 1,300 people, 43% incorrectly think that stress can cause cancer, while 42% think food additives are a risk factor.

A further 35% believe that electromagnetic frequencies can cause the disease, while 34% believe that eating genetically modified foods is a risk factor.

Some 19% think microwave ovens can cause cancer, while 15% think that drinking from plastic bottles is a risk factor.

The study noted that among proven causes of cancer, 88% of people knew that smoking is a risk factor, while 80% knew that passive smoking is. Some 60% were aware that sunburn is a risk factor.

The researchers found that people who believed in mythical risk factors were no more likely to have risky lifestyle habits. However, those who had a better knowledge of known risk factors were less likely to smoke and were more likely to eat more fruit and vegetables.

"It's worrying to see so many people endorse risk factors for which there is no convincing evidence. Compared to past research, it appears the number of people believing in unproven causes of cancer has increased since the start of the century, which could be a result of changes to how we access news and information through the internet and social media," commented Dr Samuel Smith from the University of Leeds.

He said that it is ‘vital' that public education in this area is improved in order to make sure people can make informed decisions about their lives ‘and ensure they aren't worrying unnecessarily'.

While there is no guarantee against getting cancer, around 40% of cases could be prevented through lifestyle changes. Smoking, overweight and overexposure to UV radiation from the sun are the biggest preventable causes of cancer.

Details of these findings are published in the European Journal of Cancer.