Since its founding in 1982, the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has grown into the nation's leading charity in the field of diet, nutrition and cancer. AICR supports research into the role of diet in the prevention and treatment of cancer. It also offers a wide range of educational programs and publications for health professionals and the public. Through these pioneering efforts, AICR has helped focus attention on the link between cancer and the choices we make about food and drink, exercise, weight management and smoking.
Research suggests that adopting AICR guidelines for diet and exercise could reduce cancer incidence by 30–40%. Combining these changes with elimination of tobacco use could reduce new cancer cases by 60–70%. This vital message lies at the heart of the Institute's mission.
AICR: History and Mission
Can something as simple as the foods you choose reduce your risk of cancer? The answer is an overwhelming yes. By eating a predominantly plant-based diet that includes a variety of vegetables, fruit, whole grains and beans, you can strengthen your body's natural defenses against disease.
Only two decades ago, the notion that cancer was a preventable disease was flatly rejected by many in the scientific and medical communities. Even researchers whose work showed tremendous promise remained conflicted about the wisdom of devoting further time and expense to the study of a diet-cancer link.
Shortly after the founding of AICR, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released a report called Diet, Nutrition and Cancer, which invigorated the discussion by revealing a clear relationship between diet and incidence of cancer. The report went on to propose simple, everyday steps people could follow to reduce their risk. It became apparent that a few small, positive lifestyle choices about diet and exercise offered individuals a real chance to stop cancer before it started.
This is the bold new initiative in scientific thinking that AICR has pursued for the last 18 years. In 1997 the Institute added its own unique voice to the ongoing discussion with the publication of Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective.
This report represents the latest and most comprehensive examination ever undertaken of the diet-cancer connection. Authored by an international panel of experts, Food, Nutrition and Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective reviewed over 4500 studies and offered its own series of recommendations for everyday cancer prevention.
The AICR report, and the educational efforts it has inspired, have helped to move the study of dietary influences upon cancer from the scientific “fringe” to its current place in the national — even global — spotlight.
AICR Research Programs
Research funded by AICR has both deepened and expanded our understanding of the relationships that exist among what we eat, how we live and the risk of cancer. AICR retains its position on the vanguard of this ongoing endeavor by seeking out research proposals that challenge long-held assumptions and break new ground. These efforts have drawn new scientists to the field and attracted additional funds from other sources for seminal projects.
To date, AICR's Research Grant programs have:
Provided over $55 million in research funding.
Awarded nearly 500 research grants.
Led to the publication of well over 800 journal articles.
Helped to provide training to more than 100 new researchers.
AICR is one of only a handful of charities with a peer-reviewed grant process that meets the standards of the National Cancer Institute. Funding is provided through four separate grant programs: Investigator Initiated Grant Program, Postdoctoral Awards, AICR/NCTR Collaborative Research Grant Program, and the Matching Grants Program.
AICR Education Programs
Research sponsored by AICR fuels the Institute's educational efforts. Through booklets, brochures, leaflets, press releases, videos, and the award-winning AICR Newsletter (now the most widely distributed health newsletter in the U.S.), the Institute has been a major force in stimulating the public to act on its own behalf to prevent cancer.
The focus of AICR's education programs is summarized in the AICR Diet and Health Guidelines for Cancer Prevention, summarized here.
Choose a diet rich in a variety of plant-based foods.
Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits.
Maintain a healthy weight and be physically active.
Drink alcohol only in moderation, if at all.
Select foods low in fat and salt.
Prepare and store food safely.
And always remember…Do not use tobacco in any form.
The Institute also offers the AICR Nutritional Hotline (1-800-843-8114). Callers leave any questions related to health and nutrition with a hotline operator, and receive a personal answer from a registered dietitian, usually within 48 hours.
Supporting AICR
The millions of individuals who support AICR programs do so through cash donations, as well as gifts of stocks, bonds, life insurance and real property. AICR's Office of Gift Planning can provide detailed information on a wide range of giving opportunities, including bequests, gift annuities, gifts of appreciated assets, charitable trusts and endowment fund gifts.
The Institute regularly works with donors, their attorneys and financial advisors to help establish gifts that provide the donor with the greatest financial and tax benefits while furthering cancer research and prevention.
American Institute for Cancer Research 1759 R Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 202/328-7744 or 1-800-843-8114 www.aicr.org
