AICR Hosts Telephone Briefing on October 20 to Announce New Findings on How Diet, Activity Delay Aging and Help Prevent Age-Related Cancers

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Because people aged 65 and over face a cancer risk that is 10 times higher than the general public, the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) will host a telephone news briefing on October 20 to highlight intriguing new research showing how and why diet and physical activity, even late in life, can delay or prevent many age-related cancers. The new studies will be presented at AICR's Annual Research Conference on "Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer" in Washington later in the week. AICR will also announce a major awareness campaign to close a significant knowledge gap among older Americans about aging and increased cancer risk, which comes after consumer research commissioned by AICR finds

1 in 3 adults over age 50 are unaware of the link between aging and cancer and many mistakenly believe it's too late for them to take action.

The telephone news briefing will take place at 2:30 PM EDT on Wednesday, October 20.

The following experts will participate in the news briefing:

• JoEllen Welsh, Ph.D., Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the University at Alabama Cancer Center and Chair of the AICR research conference, will summarize the latest evidence showing that even late in life, many cancers can be delayed or prevented through regular activity and a plant-based diet.
• Daniel Perry, President of the Alliance for Aging Research, will document the extent of an impending "silver tsunami" of older Americans, starting in 2011 when more than 10,000 Baby Boomers a day will turn age 65. Projections of a doubling of the senior population by 2030 are of great concern to the public health community because of escalating rates of cancer and a significant increase in healthcare spending to treat cancer and other chronic diseases.
• Alice Bender, M.S., R.D., AICR Nutrition Communications Manager, will chart the findings from a new AICR survey on aging and cancer risk, showing low awareness of the aging/cancer link among older Americans, which may hamper cancer prevention efforts.

SOURCE American Institute for Cancer Research