In 1976, the California division of the American Cancer Society challenged smokers to give up cigarettes for one day. One million smokers took that challenge and the Great American Smokeout was born.

Now, the American Cancer Society urges us to participate in the Great American Eat Right Challenge today to help us quit our bad eating habits and adopt good ones to help reduce the risk of some cancers. An interactive Web site (www.cancer.org/greatamericans) helps you to assess your body weight and calorie needs and offers tips on not only eating more healthfully, but also on fitness and health screenings for cancer prevention.

CHRIS ROSENBLOOM FIT TO EAT Have a question of general interest? E-mail Rosenbloom Related: • More on food and drink • Restaurant reviews and search More Rosenbloom You can work '101 Foods' into your diet  Know your nutrition: A quick quiz for fall  Three to be careful with in healthy diet  Grapefruit, cancer link considered preliminary  Beta carotene powers orange fruits, veggies  Our levels of the 'sunshine' vitamin decrease as we age  'Repair' muscles after long-distance running  Food-drug interaction an important issue  • Chris Rosenbloom, Ph.D., R.D., is a member of the nutrition faculty in the College of Health and Human Sciences at Georgia State University.

Here's a quiz, based on the information found on the Web site, to tempt you to visit the site and make a commitment to lifelong good health.

Emma is 5-foot-6 and weighs 142 pounds. What is her body mass index?
a) 17.3
b) 22.9
c) 24.0
d) 26.7

The correct answer is (b) or 22.9. You don't have to be a math whiz to calculate your BMI — just visit the Web site and plug in your height and weight. BMI is the relationship of height to weight and the number is tied to the risk of developing disease. A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is a healthy weight and keeps your risk of disease low. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 defines overweight, and if your number is 30 or greater, you are classified as obese. Carrying extra pounds increases your risk for developing many cancers. So, if you've never calculated your BMI, use this handy calculator. In this example, Emma has a healthy weight at 142 pounds with a BMI of 22.9.

Jerry is 6 feet, weighs 220 pounds and works at a desk all day. He does not exercise. How many calories should be consuming to lose weight?
a) 1,200 calories
b) 1,600 calories
c) 2,000 calories
d) 2,700 calories

Using the "calories needed test," Jerry is eating about 3,200 calories a day to maintain a weight of 220 pounds. To lose one pound of fat per week, Jerry needs to reduce his calories by 500, so (d) or 2,700 calories is the answer. Jerry could decide to eat 250 fewer calories and increase his activity to burn 250 calories to make total the 500 calories.

I know what you're thinking — 2,700 calories is a lot of calories. But remember that a Wendy's new Baconator sandwich has 830 calories; add medium french fries and a medium soft drink and calories shoot up to 1,470.

Use olive oil liberally to decrease your cancer risk.
a) True
b) False

It might surprise you to learn that (b) is the right answer. Olive oil does not increase or decrease your cancer risk. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fats and has heart health benefits but has not been shown to decrease cancer risk. Olive oil contains as many calories as other oils, so if you need to lose weight, use all oils in small quantities.

You couldn't resist the glazed doughnuts in the break room at work and you gobbled a couple of them after lunch. How far do you have to walk to burn the calories in two doughnuts?
a) 1.5 miles
b) 2 miles
c) 3.4 miles
d) 4 miles

A four-mile hike (d) is in order to burn off just two glazed doughnuts, so choose wisely if you are eating healthfully. Keep your office fridge stocked with crisp apples or juicy pears for a tasty afternoon snack.