Vegetarian Diets Reduce Five Cancer Types
The largest study of vegetarian diets and cancer from Oxford's Nuffield Department of Population Health reports that vegetarian diets are associated with lower risk of five different cancers. Researchers found vegetarians had notably lower incidences of colorectal, breast, prostate, and two other cancers compared to non-vegetarians.
The study identified the five cancers as pancreatic, breast, prostate, kidney, and multiple myeloma. Specifically, vegetarians had a 21% lower risk of pancreatic cancer, a 9% lower risk of breast cancer, and a 12% reduced risk of prostate cancer compared to meat-eaters. The risk was also lower for kidney cancer and multiple myeloma, by 28% and 31% respectively. This research stands as the largest of its kind, pooling data from over 1.8 million people across three continents. The comprehensive analysis was conducted by the Cancer Risk in Vegetarians Consortium, allowing for a more robust examination of the link between non-meat diets and the risk of 17 different cancers. The findings were published in the *British Journal of Cancer* and led by researchers at Oxford Population Health's Cancer Epidemiology Unit. The study was funded by the World Cancer Research Fund, an organization that supports global research on cancer prevention through diet and physical activity. Researchers suggest the lower cancer risk in vegetarians may be due to a higher intake of fruits, vegetables, and fiber, and the absence of processed meat from their diet. Plant-based diets are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which are known to have anti-cancer properties. However, the study also revealed that vegetarians had nearly double the risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Researchers theorize this could be linked to lower intakes of certain nutrients more commonly found in animal products. Interestingly, the study found that vegans had a significantly higher risk of colorectal (bowel) cancer compared to meat-eaters. One hypothesis for this finding is a potentially lower intake of calcium among vegans. While the study highlights associations, experts caution that it does not definitively prove that vegetarianism causes the reduction in cancer risk. Health organizations generally recommend diets rich in plant-based foods, while limiting red and processed meats, for overall cancer risk reduction.
