Fighting U.S. Cancer: Diet, Scant Exercise Problems

“Many studies have shown that people who keep a healthy weight, exercise regularly and eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables have a lower risk not only of cancer, but heart disease, diabetes and even Alzheimer's. The administration of President Barack Obama is looking at ways to help Americans eat a healthier diet and exercise more to reduce obesity. Krebs-Smith and colleagues knew Americans do not come even close to meeting those goals. They checked to see if the U.S. food supply could provide the recommended five servings a day of fresh fruit and vegetables to every American. It cannot, Krebs-Smith told reporters. ‘The fruit in the food supply is about half what it needs to be, but we have plenty of calories from fat and added sugars,’ she said. A second major factor in cancer is a lack of exercise and Dr. Rachel Ballard-Barbash found Americans come up far short there, too. When asked, anywhere between 30 percent and 40 percent of Americans estimate they get enough exercise. But a study...

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64I73220100519