The American Cancer Society has issued its new guidelines to help people reduce their cancer risk. The organization said the update was based on latest research on the effects of diets and physical activities.
The cancer prevention guidelines issued Tuesday focus on increased efforts. To better avoid any form of the disease, people should do more physical activities, eat more healthy foods, try to maintain a healthy weight and reduce or stop alcohol consumption.
Updates to American Cancer Society’s cancer guidelines were based on evidence collected since 2012. The organization published the report in the journal CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
New Cancer Prevention Guidelines
- Achieve and maintain healthy body weight throughout life. The American Cancer Society said this is important for overweight or obese people since losing even a few pounds could help reduce cancer risk.
- Provide more time for exercise. The organization recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or a combination, for adults. For children and teens, at least 1 hour of moderate or vigorous intensity activity each day can cut their chances of having certain forms of cancer.
- Reduce sedentary lifestyle. People should spend less time sitting or lying down since little to no physical activities may negatively affect how the body fights diseases.
- Add more natural foods to your diet. The new cancer prevention guidelines suggest that people eat a colorful variety of vegetables and fruits and more whole grains and brown rice.
- Avoid or limit eating red meats. The American Cancer Society increased the list of meats that people should avoid or limit to include beef, pork, lamb and processed meats, such as bacon, sausage, deli meats and hot dogs.
- Avoid or reduce sugary beverages, highly processed foods and refined grain products. Aside from meats, people should also manage their consumption of artificially sweetened products and those that contain more additives.
- Limit or stop alcohol consumption. Under the new guidelines, women should have no more than one drink per day and men should have no more than two.
Government Efforts To Prevent Cancer
Public health authorities can also help people avoid cancer. The American Cancer Society said that they should work with private and community organizations to increase access to affordable, healthy foods and provide safe, enjoyable and accessible opportunities for physical activity.
