THE IMPORTANCE OF WEIGHT CONTROL, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND DIET IN CANCER

PREVENTION
For the great majority of Americans who do not use tobacco, weight control, dietary choices, and levels
of physical activity are the most important modifiable determinants of cancer risk.
Alcohol
Does alcohol increase cancer risk? Yes. Alcohol increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, pharynx,
larynx, esophagus, liver, colorectum, and breast.
5
,
101
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.
15
A drink is defined as 12
ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proofdistilled spirits. The combination of alcohol
and tobacco increases the risk of some cancers far more than the independent effects of either drinking
or smoking.
5
Regular consumption of even a few drinks per week is associated with an increased risk of
breast cancer in womena risk that is particularly high in women who do not get enough
folate.
103
,104,
109
Women at high risk of breast cancer may consider abstaining from alcohol.
Recommended Amount of Totaland Intentional Activity
Although the optimal intensity, duration, and frequency of physical activity needed to reduce cancer risk
are unknown, evidence suggests that at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity, in addition to
usual activities done throughout the day, can help reduce cancer risk. Evidence is accumulating that 45
to 60 minutes on 5 or more days of the week may be optimal to reduce risk of cancers of the colon and
breast.
3

Moderate Intensity Activities Vigorous Intensity Activities
Exercise and
leisure
Walking, dancing, leisurely bicycling,
ice and roller skating, horseback
riding, canoeing, yoga
Jogging or running, fast bicycling, circuit
weight training, aerobic dance, martial arts,
jumping rope, swimming
Sports
Volleyball, golfing, softball, baseball,
badminton, doubles tennis, downhill
skiing
Soccer, field or ice hockey, lacrosse,
singles tennis, racquetball, basketball,
cross-country skiing
Home activities
Mowing the lawn, general yard and
garden maintenance
Digging, carrying and hauling, masonry,
carpentry
Occupational
activity
Walking and lifting as part of the job
(custodial work, farming, auto or
machine repair)
Heavy manual labor (forestry, construction,
firefighting)
Table TABLE 4. Examples of Moderate and Vigorous Intensity Physical Activities
Achieving and Maintaining a Healthy Weight
A healthy weight depends on a person's height, so recommendations for a healthy weight are often
expressed in terms of a body mass index (BMI) (Table 2). BMI is calculated as body weight in kilograms
divided by height in meters, squared.
2
Exact cutoffs for a healthy weight are somewhat arbitrary, but for
most Americans, experts consider a BMI within the range of 18.5 to 25.0 kg/m
2
to be healthy, a BMI
between 25.0 and 29.9 to be overweight, and a BMI of 30.0 and over to be obese. Individuals should
strive to maintain healthy weights as illustrated in Table 2.
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National
Health, Lung, and Blood Institute. The Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation and
Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults: Evidence Report. September 1998 [NIH pub.
No. 98-4083].

BMI 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35
Height Weight in Pounds
410 91 96 100 105 110 115 119 124 129 134 138 143 148 153 158 162 167
411 94 99 104 109 114 119 124 128 133 138 143 148 153 158 163 168 173
5 97 102 107 112 118 123 128 133 138 143 148 153 158 163 168 174 179
51 100 106 111 116 122 127 132 137 143 148 153 158 164 169 174 180 185
52 104 109 115 120 126 131 136 142 147 153 158 164 169 175 180 186 191
53 107 113 118 124 130 135 141 146 152 158 163 169 175 180 186 191 197
54 110 116 122 128 134 140 145 151 157 163 169 174 180 186 192 197 204
55 114 120 126 132 138 144 150 156 162 168 174 180 186 192 198 204 210
56 118 124 130 136 142 148 155 161 167 173 179 186 192 198 204 210 216
57 121 127 134 140 146 153 159 166 172 178 185 191 198 204 211 217 223
58 125 131 138 144 151 158 164 171 177 184 190 197 203 210 216 223 230
59 128 135 142 149 155 162 169 176 182 189 196 203 209 216 223 230 236
510 132 139 146 153 160 167 174 181 188 195 202 209 216 222 229 236 243
511 136 143 150 157 165 172 179 186 193 200 208 215 222 229 236 243 250
6 140 147 154 162 169 177 184 191 199 206 213 221 228 235 242 250 258
61 144 151 159 166 174 182 189 197 204 212 219 227 235 242 250 257 265
62 148 155 163 171 179 186 194 202 210 218 225 233 241 249 256 264 272
63 152 160 168 176 184 192 200 208 216 224 232 240 248 256 264 272 279
Healthy Weight Overweight Obese
Table TABLE 2. Adult BMI Chart

Fruits
1 medium apple, banana, orange
1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, orcanned fruit
1/2 cup of 100% fruit juice
Vegetables
1 cup of raw leafy vegetables
1/2 cup of other cooked or raw vegetables, chopped
1/2 cup of 100% vegetable juice
Grains
1 slice bread
1 ounce ready-to-eat cereal
1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, pasta
Beans and nuts
1/2 cup cooked dry beans
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1/3 cup nuts
Dairy foods and eggs
1 cup milk or yogurt
1 1/2 ounces of natural cheese
2 ounces processed cheese
1 egg
Meats 23 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, fish
Table TABLE 3. What Counts as a Serving
The health of young people, and the adults they will become, is critically linked to the establishment of
healthy behaviors in childhood.
41
Risk factors such as excess weight gain, unhealthy dietary patterns,
and physical inactivity during childhood and adolescence can result in increased risk of developing
cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and osteoporosis later in life.
41
Children who
adopt healthy lifestyle habits at an early age are more likely to continue these behaviors throughout life.
About half of youngsters who are overweight as children will remain overweight in adulthood
42
; 70% of
those who are overweight by adolescence will remain overweight as adults.
18
For these reasons, efforts
to establish healthy weight and patterns of weight gain should begin in childhood.