A newly released study suggests that people who follow a vegetarian diet could face a noticeably lower risk of developing five particular types of cancer.
In the US alone, forecasts indicate more than two million cancer diagnoses this year, with an estimated 626,000 deaths linked to the disease.
With those numbers in mind, guidance on reducing cancer risk is widely sought. Research published in the British Journal of Cancer indicates that cutting out meat and adopting a vegetarian diet may be associated with lower rates of certain cancers.
Researchers reviewed dietary patterns from over 1.8 million participants tracked across 16 years, and found that several cancers appeared less frequently among people eating a vegetarian diet.
According to the findings, vegetarians had a 21 percent lower likelihood of developing pancreatic cancer, and their risk of prostate cancer was reduced by 12 percent compared with meat-eaters.
The analysis also reported that breast cancer diagnoses were nine percent lower among vegetarians than among those who consume meat. Beyond that, vegetarians were found to be 28 percent less likely to develop kidney cancer and had a 31 lower chance of being diagnosed with the uncommon blood cancer multiple myeloma.
Yashvee Dunneram, a former postdoctoral epidemiologist and author on the study, said: “Among the 72,000 vegetarians and vegans included in our study, the numbers of cases for some cancers were small, which limits the certainty of some findings.
“Moreover, nutrient intakes and overall diet quality vary substantially within and between vegetarian populations. Our next challenge is to collect more data on vegan diets and more data from other parts of the world.”
Dr Helen Croker, Assistant Director of Research and Policy at World Cancer Research Fund International, added: “We funded this research because people deserve evidence they can trust as they consider eating less meat and this study provides the most comprehensive evidence yet on vegetarian and non-meat diets and cancer risk.
“The results suggest non-meat diets are linked to lower risks for some cancers, though not all, highlighting important differences between cancer types and the role of different dietary patterns.
“To increase your overall protection from cancer, our advice is to build meals around wholegrains, pulses, fruit and vegetables, and avoid processed meat and limit red meat.”
Tim Key, a co-investigator on the research, also highlighted diet choices that may help lower risk, urging people to prioritize ‘fruit, vegetables, and fibre-containing foods, and avoid processed meat’.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.