Cancer Council's recommendations

Cancer Council Australia makes the following recommendations for nutrition and physical activity in support of the Dietary Guidelines for Australian Adults and the National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australians:

  • maintain a healthy body weight (BMI of 18.5 – 25)
  • do regular physical exercise:
    • 30 minutes of moderate activity a day for general good health
    • 60 minutes a day, including some vigorous intensity exercise, to reduce cancer risk
  • maintain a healthy, balanced diet:
    • eat plenty of vegetables, legumes and fruit - five or more servings of vegetables and two or more servings of fruit per day
    • have cereals (preferably wholegrain) - between three and 12 servings each day, depending on age and gender
    • eat meat in moderation - no more than three to four servings of, lean red meat each week and avoid processed meats
    • select lower fat foods like lean meat and reduced-fat dairy products, and try using low-fat cooking methods like grilling instead of frying
    • choose low-salt products - flavour foods with herbs and spices instead of salt
  • avoid drinking alcohol if possible, or have one to two alcohol-free days each week and limit yourself to:
    • one standard drink per day (women)
    • two standard drinks per day (men)

More information about these recommendations are available in Cancer Council' s Cancer smart lifestyle fact sheets.  

This page was last updated on : Thursday, 8 July 2010

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