[The pediatrician and cancer prevention. Dietetic factors and smoking]

Cancer has been associated to well-defined risk factors. Nutritional factors and tobacco are the most important causes of cancer deaths. Prevention should be based on health education. Beikost guidelines should be the early step to implement a healthy diet. American Cancer Society, US Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Academy of Sciences recommendations are analyzed. Recommendations include maintain a desirable body weight, eat a varied diet, include a variety of both vegetable and fruits, eat more high fiber foods, cutdown on total fat intake, limit consumption of alcoholic beverages, salt-cured, smoked and nitrite-cured foods. Suggestions relate to caution with food additives, increase vitamin E intake, proper selenium intake, limit artificial sweeteners, reduce coffee and cholesterol consumption, avoid cooking at high temperatures. Local diets fulfil most of the recommendations. Tobacco consume carries a higher risk of cancer arising from different locations. Pre- and postnatal exposure to tobacco smoke is harmful to health. Prevention requires the combined action of parents, teachers, health professionals, civic associations and governmental institutions.