Every five years the American Cancer Society publishes its Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention which serve as a foundation for its communication, policy, and community strategies and ultimately, to affect dietary and physical activity patterns among Americans.
They are developed by a national panel of experts and typically are representative of the most current scientific evidence related to dietary and activity patterns and cancer risk. This report was published Sept 28th 2006 in teh ACS Journal “CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians“.
Exercise: The More, the Better:
It should come as no surprise given the national obesity epidemic, that the chief recommendations of the Guidelines are related to weight-management. Noting that a third of the more than 500,000 cancer deaths each year are connected to diet and physical activity - about the same number of deaths linked to smoking, the ACS is now recommending more active exercise rather than just leisurely walks.
While earlier guidelines said 30 minutes of cumulative activity including everyday things like walking from the parking lot to the mall or climbing the stairs at home should be enough for adults, the new guidelines point out that may not be enough.At least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity in addition to those everyday activities at least 5 days a week is the new standard to follow.Dr. Harvey Cohen of Duke University Medical Center says, “That can have positive effects on the physical function as well on cognitive function.”
Fruits and Vegetables:
At no time has the need for including more of these fiber and vitmain rich foods been greater than right now. The new guidelines, as did previous ones, recommend eating at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. These foods may reduce the risk of various types of cancers including lung, esophagus, stomach, and colorectal cancer. Reducing refined carbohydrates like regular pasta, white rice/bread and switching to whole grains while at the same time limiting red and processed meat in favor of fish, poultry, or beans is also highly recommended.
Alcohol:
The guidelines recommend limiting alcohol to 2 drinks a day for men and 1 for women, if at all consumed. Cutting alcohol out completely is especially recommended for women at high risk of breast cancer especially when they don’t get enough folate in their diet.
Summary:
The chief recommendations of the new guidelines are:
- Maintain a healthy weight throughout life.
- Adopt a physically active lifestyle.
- Eat a healthy diet, with an emphasis on plant sources.
- Limit alcohol, if you drink it at all.
You can read the summarised Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines for Cancer Prevention or read the complete version in either text or pdf format from the CA Online Website
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When you boil it all down the key to great health is a suitable diet and exercise. That isn’t just for cancer but for everything.