Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States, after heart disease. About 1 in 5 cancers are linked to excess body weight, physical inactivity, having an unhealthy diet, and drinking too much alcohol. Taking steps to avoid these unhealthy behaviors can greatly lower your chances of developing or dying from cancer.
What is the American Cancer Society (ACS) Diet and Physical Activity Guideline for Cancer Prevention?
The ACS Guideline for Diet and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention is a science-based recommendation from the American Cancer Society for weight control, physical activity, diet, and alcohol consumption to reduce cancer risk. It includes recommendations for both individuals and communities.
Recommendations for individuals
Achieve and maintain a healthy weight throughout life
- Keep your weight within the healthy range and avoid weight gain in adult life.
Be physically active
- Adults: Get 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week (or a combination of these). Getting to or exceeding the upper limit of 300 minutes is ideal.
- Children and teens: Get at least 1 hour of moderate or vigorous intensity activity each day.
- Limit sedentary behavior such as sitting, lying down, watching TV, and other forms of screen-based entertainment.
Follow a healthy eating pattern at all ages
- A healthy eating pattern includes:
- Foods that are high in nutrients in amounts that help you get to and stay at a healthy body weight
- A variety of vegetables – dark green, red, and orange, fiber-rich legumes (beans and peas), and others
- Fruits, especially whole fruits in a variety of colors
- Whole grains
- A healthy eating pattern limits or does not include:
- Red and processed meats
- Sugar-sweetened beverages
- Highly processed foods and refined grain products
It is best not to drink alcohol
- People who do choose to drink alcohol should have no more than 1 drink per day for women or 2 drinks per day for men.
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