Diet and Physical Activity

What’s the Cancer Connection?

By American Cancer Society On Nov 25, 2014

How much do daily habits like diet and exercise affect your risk for cancer? Much more than you might think. Research has shown that poor diet and not being active are two key factors that can increase a person’s cancer risk. The good news is that you can do something about this

Besides quitting smoking, some of the most important things you can do to help reduce your cancer risk are:

Get to and stay at a healthy weight throughout life.
Be physically active on a regular basis.
Make healthy food choices with a focus on plant-based foods.

The evidence for this is strong: Each year, about 585,720 Americans die of cancer; around one-third of these deaths are linked to poor diet, physical inactivity and carrying too much weight.

Control your weight

Getting to and staying at a healthy weight is important to reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of several cancers, including those of the breast (in women past menopause), colon and rectum, endometrium (the lining of the uterus), esophagus, pancreas and kidney, among others.

Being overweight can increase cancer risk in many ways. One of the main ways is that excess weight causes the body to produce and circulate more estrogen and insulin, hormones that can stimulate cancer growth.

Be more active

Watching how much you eat will help you control your weight. The other key is to be more physically active. Being active helps reduce your cancer risk by helping with weight control. It can also help improve your hormone levels and the way your immune system works.

More good news – physical activity helps you reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes, too! So grab your athletic shoes and head out the door!

The latest recommendations for adults call for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week, or an equivalent combination, preferably spread throughout the week. This is over and above usual daily activities like using the stairs instead of the elevator at your office or doing housework. For kids, the recommendation is at least 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous intensity activity each day, with vigorous intensity activity occurring at least three days each week.

It’s also important to limit sedentary behavior such as sitting, lying down, watching television or other forms of screen-based entertainment.

Being more physically active than usual, no matter what your level of activity, can have many health benefits.

Eat healthy foods

Eating well is an important part of improving your health and reducing your cancer risk. Take a good, hard look at what you typically eat each day and try these tips to build a healthy diet plan for yourself and your family:

Choose foods and drinks in amounts that help you get to and maintain a healthy weight.

Read food labels to become more aware of portion sizes and calories. Be aware that “low-fat” or “non-fat” does not necessarily mean “low-calorie.”
Eat smaller portions when eating high-calorie foods.
Choose vegetables, whole fruit, legumes such as peas and beans, and other low-calorie foods instead of calorie-dense foods such as French fries, potato and other chips, ice cream, donuts and other sweets.
Limit your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages such as soft drinks, sports drinks and fruit-flavored drinks.
When you eat away from home, be especially mindful to choose food low in calories, fat and added sugar, and avoid eating large portion sizes.

Limit how much processed meat and red meat you eat.

Limit your intake of processed meats such as bacon, sausage, lunch meats and hot dogs.
Choose fish, poultry or beans instead of red meat (beef, pork and lamb).
If you eat red meat, choose lean cuts and eat smaller portions.
Prepare meat, poultry and fish by baking, broiling or poaching rather than by frying or charbroiling.

Eat at least 2½ cups of vegetables and fruits each day.

Include vegetables and fruits at every meal and snack.
Eat a variety of vegetables and fruits each day.
Emphasize whole fruits and vegetables; choose 100 percent juice if you drink vegetable or fruit juices.
Limit your use of creamy sauces, dressings and dips with fruits and vegetables.

If you drink alcohol, limit how much

People who drink alcohol should limit their intake to no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. The recommended limit is lower for women because of their smaller body size and slower breakdown of alcohol.

A drink of alcohol is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits (hard liquor). In terms of cancer risk, it is the amount of alcohol, not the type of alcoholic drink that is important.

These daily limits do not mean it’s safe to drink larger amounts on fewer days of the week, since this can lead to health, social and other problems.

Reducing cancer risk in our communities

Adopting a healthier lifestyle is easier for people who live, work, play or go to school in an environment that supports healthy behaviors. Working together, communities can create the type of environment where healthy choices are easy to make.

We all can be part of these changes: Let’s ask for healthier food choices at our workplaces and schools. For every junk food item in the vending machine, ask for a healthy option, too. Support restaurants that help you to eat well by offering options like smaller portions, lower-calorie items and whole-grain products. And let’s help make our communities safer and more appealing places to walk, bike and be active.

The bottom line

It has been estimated that as much as one-third of all cancer deaths in the US are related to diet and activity factors. Let’s challenge ourselves to lose some extra pounds, increase our physical activity, make healthy food choices, limit alcohol and look for ways to make our communities healthier places to live, work and play. For more information, go to cancer.org or call 1-800-227-2345.