Diet and cancer are associated. While it is not yet possible to provide quantitative estimates of the overall risks, it has been estimated that 35 percent of cancer deaths may be related to dietary factors. Almost all cancers (80–90%) are caused by environmental factors, and of these, 30–40% of cancers are directly linked to the diet. While many dietary recommendations have been proposed to reduce the risk of cancer, few have significant supporting scientific evidence. The primary dietary factors that increase risk are obesity and alcohol consumption; with a diet low in fruits and vegetables and high in red meat being implicated but not confirmed. Consumption of coffee is associated with a reduced risk of liver cancer. Studies have linked consumption of red or processed meat to an increased risk of breast cancer, colon cancer, and pancreatic cancer, a phenomenon which could be due to the presence of carcinogens in foods cooked at high temperatures. Thus dietary recommendation for cancer prevention typically include: "mainly vegetables, fruit, whole grain and fish and a reduced intake of red meat, animal fat and refined sugar."

Joel Fuhrman, MD (born December 2, 1953), is an American board-certified family physician who specializes in nutrition-based treatments for obesity and chronic disease. He is a member of the board of directors of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and serves as Research Director of the Nutritional Research Project. He is on the medical staff of Hunterdon Medical Center.

Dr. Fuhrman coined the word "nutritarian" to label people who adopt a micronutrient-rich diet style. He created the Health Equation: Health = Nutrients/Calories (abbreviated as H = N/C). This equation signals that future health can be predicted by the micronutrient per calorie density of the diet.

Dr. Fuhrman is the author of five books, and a number of journal articles. The Second Edition of Eat to Live reached the New York Times Best Seller list in June, 2011, and has been there ever since. He has appeared on several radio and television shows.

In 2011, Dr. Fuhrman launched 3 Steps to Incredible Health!, a sixty-minute PBS pledge program that addresses the crisis of obesity and chronic disease plaguing America.