Diet that prevents cancer: Recommendations from the American Institute forCancer Research

The current epidemiological transition in less developed countries is resul ting in an epidemic of chronic diseases, with cancer being the second most common cause of mortality. The evidence linking diet to the development of cancer is based largely on epidemiological analysis of the relationships of the frequency of different cancers to data on food consumption. Cohere res ults have made clearer the link between diet and cancer, as have data on a number of biological mechanisms. Based on the available data, recommendatio ns on dietary practices that may prevent cancer have been published recentl y by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Resear ch Fund. Key recommendations are: diet should be based on plant products; 4 00 g of vegetables and fruits, to provide more than 10% of energy, should b e consumed daily; cereals, legumes and tubers should provide at least 50% o f energy, and sugars less than 10%; no more than 80 g of meat should be con sumed, preferably fish or poultry, and limited amounts that are cured or sm oked; fat intake should be limited to no more than 30% of energy, with a pr edominance of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated forms; total salt consump tion should be less than 6 g; perishable foods should be kept frozen or ref rigerated and consumed promptly; foods should be cooked at low temperatures , better to be boiled or steamed rather than fried or grilled; alcohol shou ld not exceed 2 drinks a day. In addition to these dietary guidelines, canc er prevention may be achieved by not smoking, by avoiding excess weight, an d by increasing physical activity, including half an hour of exercise and 4 hr not resting in a chair or bed. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.