Diet, exercise can decrease disease risk

PROVO, Utah, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- A U.S. study indicates changes in diet and exercise can lead to a dramatic drop in a person's risk for illnesses such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

In as little as six weeks, study participants experienced significant reductions in body fat, cholesterol levels and blood pressure as they adopted a diet emphasizing unrefined "food-as-grown," such as grains, legumes and fresh fruits and vegetables, along with implementing a 30-minute-a-day cardiovascular exercise program.

"Although the notion that proper nutrition and exercise is good for you is not revolutionary, it's important that people know that major health benefits can come quickly," said Steven Aldana of Brigham Young University and author of "The Culprit and the Cure."

The findings appear in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.