Food Network Chef Provides Healthy Eating Tips For Eat Right Challenge

WILTON — New survey findings from the American Cancer Society show that while the majority of Americans understand that eating right and being physically active can help reduce their risk of getting cancer, many are not incorporating this knowledge into their daily lives.

According to the survey, 83 percent of Americans believe they can reduce their risk of cancer with a healthy diet. Yet, approximately one-third of the 565,650 cancer deaths expected to occur in 2008 are attributed to poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and being overweight or obese.

Some of the key barriers to eating more fruits and vegetables found in the survey include spoilage, cost, and the simple fact that Americans prefer to eat other meals or snacks, such as cookies, chips, pasta, meat, or potatoes. Barriers to exercising include the notion that health clubs are too expensive, and a lack of time. If given an extra hour per day, however, only ten percent said they would use that time to exercise.

To help Americans apply what they already know about reducing cancer risk to their daily lives, the American Cancer Society Great American Eat Right Challenge offers tools to help people adopt healthy behaviors that are enjoyable and easy.

The Great American Eat Right Challenge website (www.cancer.org/GreatAmericans) contains helpful tips including two video podcasts featuring Food Network Chef and author Ellie Krieger and Colleen Doyle, MS, RD, director of nutrition and physical activity for the American Cancer Society. Ms Krieger and Ms Doyle prepare quick, healthy meals in the kitchen while providing time-saving tips and techniques.

“There are many ways to incorporate healthy eating behaviors into everyday life that are affordable, easy, enjoyable, and, most importantly, help reduce cancer risk,” said Ms Doyle. “Through the Great American Eat Right Challenge, the society wants to help Americans to translate their knowledge into action by offering a wide variety of tools and resources that will help Americans find easy solutions to live healthier lives.”

In addition to the video podcasts with Ms Krieger, the society has also added new features to the Great American Eat Right challenge website to help Americans eat healthy, incorporate time-saving tips into meal preparation, and provide fun and healthy meals for their families:

*Healthy in a Hurry Parent’s Guide — With school back in session soon, parents once again will be faced with less time to prepare healthy meals for the family. This online tool provides 30-minute recipes for parents who do not have much time to cook but want to make healthy, delicious meals or snacks.

*Portion Control Guide — Knowing how much to eat is just as important as knowing what to eat. This wallet-sized portion guide can be easily downloaded and carried anywhere to help recognize standard serving sizes.

*Eat Right Food Diary — Knowing what you eat each day can help identify patterns of unhealthy behaviors. This printable diary is an easy-to-use tool for people to capture what they eat every day and flag what fuels situations or periods of time when unhealthy eating occurs.

The website also includes a grocery shopping list to help stock a healthy kitchen with nutrient-packed fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as recipes and tips for grilling delicious end-of-summer meals.

According to the American Cancer Society’s Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention, a healthy diet with an emphasis on plant sources is essential to reducing cancer risk. The guidelines recommend:

*Eating five or more servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits each day

*Choosing whole grains in preference to processed (refined) grains

*Limiting consumption of processed and red meats

The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. Founded in 1913 and with national headquarters in Atlanta, the society has 13 regional Divisions and local offices in 3,400 communities, involving millions of volunteers across the United States. For more information anytime, call toll free 800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.