Healthy Eating and Active Living Research Highlights


Obesity, lack of physical activity, and poor diet are major risk factors for cancer – second only to tobacco use.

According to Cancer Facts and Figures 2022, about 18% of cancer cases and 16% of cancer deaths are related to the combined effects of excess body weight, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and unhealthy diet, and thus could be prevented. 

Spotlight on ACS Research Grantees

These are some of the healthy eating and physical activity (HEAL) investigators currently funded through extramural research grants by the American Cancer Society. They're working to find the answers that will save more lives and better prevent, treat, and manage cancer.

Keto Molecule May Help Prevent and Treat Colorectal Cancer

When mice in the lab are on low-carb diets, like the keto diet many people follow, the liver makes a ketone that slows the growth of colorectal cancer. 

Improving Availability of Healthy Food Reduces Cancer Inequities

Dietician and researcher urges policymakers to help build healthy food environments to reduce cancer cases in under-resourced areas.

45 Min/Day of Physical Activity May Help Prevent Some Cancers

ACS researchers estimate 5 hours/week of moderate-intensity physical activity could prevent more than 46,000+ cases of cancer in the US a year.

ACS Prevention Studies

The ACS Population Science department includes scientists who work with our large, on-going cancer prevention studies (CPS), such as CPS-II and CPS-3. Many of these studies are about healthy eating, active living, and obesity. Here's a sample of their work.

Adults May Benefit from Fewer than 10K Steps a Day

Study: Up to age 59, the risk of dying decreases as number of steps increase, up to 8K-10K steps/day. After age 60, benefits level off at 6K-8K steps/day.

Yogurt & Cheese May Lower Risk of ER- Breast Cancer

CPS-II Nutrition Study data showed that it's unlikely that eating dairy or foods with calcium increases a woman’s risk for common types of breast cancer.

How Caff and Decaf Coffee Affect the Risk for Colorectal Cancer

CPS-II Nutrition Cohort Study shows people who drink decaffeinated coffee have a lower risk of colorectal cancer, regardless of their smoking status.

Healthy Eating & Active Living News