Health and Me

Rachel V Thomas

Eating a Vegetarian Diet? You can Reduce Risk Of 5 Cancers, Reveals Study

Worried that your vegetarian-only diet may not save you from <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/cancer">cancer</a>? A new study showed that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fiber-containing foods, and no meat, can lower the risks of five cancers, namely <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/breast-cancer">breast cancer</a>, <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/prostate-cancer">prostate cancer</a>, <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/kidney-cancer">kidney cancer</a>, pancreatic <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/cancer">cancer</a>, and multiple myeloma.

The study published today in the British Journal of Cancer, however, showed that vegetarians had nearly double the risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, and a significantly higher risk of bowel cancer. This may be due to a lack of certain nutrients that are more abundant in animal foods, said the researchers from the University of Oxford, UK.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/woman-lost-weight-on-mounjaro-but-her-breasts-didnt-stop-growing-this-is-why--article-153690899" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Woman Lost Weight On Mounjaro But Her Breasts Didn't Stop Growing, This Is Why...</a>

"Vegetarians typically consume more fruit, vegetables, and fiber than meat eaters and no processed meat, which may contribute to lower risks of some cancers,” said Aurora Perez Cornago, principal investigator of the study and formerly Associate Professor at Oxford Population Health.

“The higher risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in vegetarians and bowel cancer in vegans may relate to lower intakes of certain nutrients more abundant in animal foods. Additional research is needed to understand what is driving the differences in cancer risk found in our study,” Cornago added. 

The researchers advised eating meals around wholegrains, pulses, fruit and vegetables, and avoiding processed meat and limiting red meat to increase overall protection from cancer. 

The findings are based on data from more than 1.8 million people from three continents. 

Compared to meat eaters, about 72,000 vegetarians in the study had: 

<ul><li>21 percent lower risk of pancreatic cancer </li><li>9 percent lower risk of breast cancer </li><li>12 percent lower risk of prostate cancer </li><li>28 percent lower risk of kidney cancer </li><li>31 percent lower risk of multiple myeloma</li></ul>

Tim Key, Emeritus Professor of Epidemiology at Oxford Population Health, and co-investigator, said the study helps to shed light on the benefits and risks associated with vegetarian diets. 

The study found no statistically significant differences in risk for colorectal, stomach, liver, lung (in never smokers), endometrial, ovarian, mouth and pharynx, or bladder cancers, or non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, and esophageal adenocarcinoma in vegetarians. 

Vegans had a statistically significantly higher risk of colorectal (bowel) cancer when compared with meat eaters. 

Pescatarians had lower risks of breast and kidney cancers, as well as a lower risk of bowel cancer. Poultry eaters were found to have a lower risk of prostate cancer. 

For the other cancers studied, there was no evidence that the risk in vegans differed from that of meat eaters, and for some less common cancers, there were too few vegan cases to analyze. Further studies are needed to confirm these results in the vegan population, the team said.

<h2>Global Cancer Burden: How Diet Influences Risk Worldwide</h2>

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were an estimated 20 million new cancer cases and 9.7 million deaths in 2022. 

About 1 in 5 people develop cancer in their lifetime, approximately 1 in 9 men and 1 in 12 women die from the disease. 

The American Cancer Society's guidelines for diet to prevent cancer include 

<ul><li>A variety of vegetables – dark green, red, and orange, fiber-rich legumes (beans and peas), and others</li><li>Fruits, especially whole fruits in a variety of colors </li><li>Whole grains </li><li>Avoiding red and processed meats </li><li>Sugar-sweetened beverages </li><li>Highly processed foods and refined grain products</li></ul>

Data from the Indian Council of Medical Research also shows that one out of 10 cancers may be linked to diet, and over half of these are caused by eating less than five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. 

It also advises against diets rich in saturated fats, red meat, and salt and poor in fiber, red, and processed meats.

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Cancer

Breast Cancer

Prostate Cancer

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kidney cancer

multiple myeloma

vegetarian diet

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Worried that your vegetarian-only diet may not save you from cancer? A new study showed that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fiber-containing foods, and no meat, can lower the risks of five cancers, namely breast cancer, prostate cancer, kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, and multiple myeloma.The study published today in the British Journal of Cancer, however, showed that vegetarians had nearly double the risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, and a significantly higher risk of bowel cancer. This may be due to a lack of certain nutrients that are more abundant in animal foods, said the researchers from the University of Oxford, UK.Also Read: Woman Lost Weight On Mounjaro But Her Breasts Didn't Stop Growing, This Is Why... "Vegetarians typically consume more fruit, vegetables, and fiber than meat eaters and no processed meat, which may contribute to lower risks of some cancers,” said Aurora Perez Cornago, principal investigator of the study and formerly Associate Professor at Oxford Population Health.  “The higher risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in vegetarians and bowel cancer in vegans may relate to lower intakes of certain nutrients more abundant in animal foods. Additional research is needed to understand what is driving the differences in cancer risk found in our study,” Cornago added. The researchers advised eating meals around wholegrains, pulses, fruit and vegetables, and avoiding processed meat and limiting red meat to increase overall protection from cancer. What Did The Study Find? The findings are based on data from more than 1.8 million people from three continents. Compared to meat eaters, about 72,000 vegetarians in the study had: 21 percent lower risk of pancreatic cancer 9 percent lower risk of breast cancer 12 percent lower risk of prostate cancer 28 percent lower risk of kidney cancer 31 percent lower risk of multiple myeloma Tim Key, Emeritus Professor of Epidemiology at Oxford Population Health, and co-investigator, said the study helps to shed light on the benefits and risks associated with vegetarian diets. The study found no statistically significant differences in risk for colorectal, stomach, liver, lung (in never smokers), endometrial, ovarian, mouth and pharynx, or bladder cancers, or non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, and esophageal adenocarcinoma in vegetarians.  Vegans had a statistically significantly higher risk of colorectal (bowel) cancer when compared with meat eaters. Pescatarians had lower risks of breast and kidney cancers, as well as a lower risk of bowel cancer. Poultry eaters were found to have a lower risk of prostate cancer. For the other cancers studied, there was no evidence that the risk in vegans differed from that of meat eaters, and for some less common cancers, there were too few vegan cases to analyze. Further studies are needed to confirm these results in the vegan population, the team said.Global Cancer Burden: How Diet Influences Risk WorldwideAccording to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were an estimated 20 million new cancer cases and 9.7 million deaths in 2022. About 1 in 5 people develop cancer in their lifetime, approximately 1 in 9 men and 1 in 12 women die from the disease. The American Cancer Society's guidelines for diet to prevent cancer include A variety of vegetables – dark green, red, and orange, fiber-rich legumes (beans and peas), and othersFruits, especially whole fruits in a variety of colors Whole grains Avoiding red and processed meats Sugar-sweetened beverages Highly processed foods and refined grain products Data from the Indian Council of Medical Research also shows that one out of 10 cancers may be linked to diet, and over half of these are caused by eating less than five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.  It also advises against diets rich in saturated fats, red meat, and salt and poor in fiber, red, and processed meats.