Healthy Eating and Active Living

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Cancer Prevention

The science is clear — overweight and obesity, physical inactivity and poor nutrition are the number one cancer risk for people who don't use tobacco. Together, they cause 20 percent of cancer cases. 

ACS CAN is working at the local, state and federal levels to prevent these cancers by advocating for legislation and regulations that make information more accessible for healthy choices, ensure healthy schools for our youth and build healthy communities for all. 

Overweight and obesity, physical inactivity and poor nutrition are responsible for 20 percent of all cancer cases each year.

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National

Let's save more lives by reducing obesity, improving nutrition and increasing physical activity

Being overweight or obese is the number one cancer risk for people who don't use tobacco. 

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Latest Updates

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White House Shines National Spotlight on Cancer to Reignite Moonshot

February 2, 2022

The President announced this morning he is ‘reigniting’ his commitment to ‘end cancer as we know it,’ building on the initial and robust cancer moonshot investment in discovery, prioritizing increased uptake of prevention and addressing health disparities.

ACS CAN Supports Healthy Beverages with Kids' Meals (Memo)

October 9, 2020
New Jersey

ACS CAN released this memo to the New Jersey state legislature asking for support of legislation that would require non-sugary drinks to be served with meals targetting young people in restaurants.

Briefing Highlights Critical Need for Investment and Coordination in Nutrition Research

July 15, 2020
National

The American Cancer Society (ACS) and its advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), support efforts to make nutrition research a federal priority.

We Did It! Two Legislative Priority Bills pass!

April 9, 2019
Maryland

An ambience of sadness and loss permeated this year’s Sine Die —the last day of the 90-day, Maryland General Assembly Session—as we processed the loss of Maryland House Speaker Michael Busch, a true health care champion. It is fitting that we made so much progress this year. This year marked

Healthy Eating and Active Living Resources

Preserving Local Control of Public Health Policies – Critical for Strong Public Health Policies

February 14, 2023

Many important public health policies are often developed and passed at the local level. Communities are also able to advance health equity when they can pass specific public health policies aimed at addressing local health disparities. But preemption—when a higher level of government revokes local authority—can restrict local policymakers’ ability to pass, implement, and enforce innovative and proactive public health policies. States should be able to set a minimum standard for public health protections, but they should not pre-empt local governments from going above and beyond that minimum standard.

ACS & ACS CAN Comments on FDA Proposed Rule “Food Labeling: Nutrient Content Claims; Definition of Term ‘Healthy.’”

January 24, 2023

The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) appreciate the opportunity to comment on the proposed rule to update the definition for the implied nutrient content claim “healthy” to be consistent with current nutrition science and Federal dietary guidance.

DGAs: Changing Diet to Prevent Disease & Reduce Cancer Risk

October 19, 2022

ACS CAN supports giving people tools, such as the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), to make healthful food and beverage choices.