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Nutrition and cancer
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Lots of news stories this week about diet and cancer prevention as well the prevention of diabetes.
First, in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, there is a paper presenting evidence that postmenopausal women who eat a diet high in plants, especially those rich in lignans have a lower chance of developing hormone receptor positive breast cancers. Lignan is a type of phytochemical found in many plant foods such as seeds, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Specifically in this study it was found that in over 50,000 postmenopausal French women whose diet had the highest amount of lignans had a 17% lower chance of developing breast cancer.
Another paper in the same journal shows that postmenopausal women eating a high-fat diet have an increased risk of developing invasive breast cancer. Diet information was collected in over 150,000 women and it was found that those who got 40% of their calories from fat had a 15 to 32% greater chance of getting breast cancer compared to those with only 20% of their calories coming from fat.
The International Journal of Cancer reports that women in their study who got most of their fat and protein calories from animal products, rather than plants, had a greater chance of getting endometrial cancer. And in the Journal of Nutrition researchers show that people who eat a lot of fruit and little meat have a much lower chance of having polyps which could develop into colon cancer. Out of 700 something people studied those who ate lots of meat were 70 percent more likely to have had a polyp.
And far as type 2 diabetes goes, in the American Journal of Epidemiology there is a paper by Allison Hodge of the University of Melbourne, Australia showing that people who eat more salad and cooked vegetables and less meat and other fatty foods have a much lower chance of developing the disease. Other recent research (American Journal of Public Health) shows a positive correlation between diets high in soft drinks and a risk for diabetes.
All this right after a report from the CDC indicating that most Americans are not eating anywhere near enough fruits and vegetables, putting them at a much greater risk of heart disease, cancer, etc. Apparently only a third of Americans eat anywhere near the recommended amounts.
Of course, most all of this data is derived from self-reports of what people eat which is unlikely to be completely accurate. Nevertheless it seems there is more than enough data pointing in the direction that more fruit and vegetables and less fat in the diet helps people stay healthier.
So why don’t more people eat better? I would love to know a way to do a real survey and find out the causes – what percent of people don’t know any better, which don’t care, can’t afford to eat better, how many are too stressed and busy to take the time, etc. Any one know how to have a scientifically accurate survey done? I’m guessing it would be too expensive for most people, like myself, to do it though.
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4 Responses to 'Nutrition and cancer'
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on March 23rd, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Great post! I will look into the study ideas for you. I know there are grants available. You have my email, so check back with me in a week or so if I get sidetracked.
I don’t understand why so few of us eat enough fruits and vegetables. Large studies have shown that eating five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day halves the risk of cancer. Perhaps we carry the magical thinking we accuse our teens of. It will happen to someone else. I see so many educated, health conscious people who eat terribly. They don’t have the time…until something like cancer strikes.
I was having a lot of “does not compute” moments listening to the news last week. We are expected to have a shortage of oncologists in 2020 to care for the one in nineteen individuals suffering from cancer. We know that 80 to 95 percent of cancers have an environmental component and are, in theory anyway, preventable. Diet plays a large role in that. I keep hearing about how we need to train more oncologists and invest more into “finding the cure”. Why do we hear so little about simple measures to prevent cancer in the first place. I have to run and prepare a three berry smoothie for my children! Thanks for your research and raising awareness!
Lynne Eldridge M.D.
Author, “Avoiding Cancer One Day At A Time, Practical Advice for Preventing Cancer”
http://www.avoidcancernow.com
on March 25th, 2007 at 8:17 am
Why don’t people eat better, indeed!!?? I mean, that info on the link between cancer and food is interesting, but it confirms what health professionals have been saying for years. And I believe the link between diet and diabetes has been really clear for quite a while.
I just had this conversation with my partner last night. His cholesterol is bad and he’s hungry all the time. He eats a high-sugar, refined carb breakfast — and he’s gaining weight. I brought up all the stuff about eating a good breakfast and he just blew me off. I dunno.
I think we get bad food habits as kids, along with the idea that we should eat what we like. Very depressing!
on March 27th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Lynne – yesterday I found a press release talking about this very topic. It still leaves many questions unanswered though.
Susan – it can be really hard to eat better – I do ok now, but I struggle at times to resist junk food. I definitely think that that we learn a lot of it as kids. My parents tried to feed me nutritious food, but that was still at a time when many people like us were eating lots of fried, fatty, salty foods. Its really hard not to eat like that when you are used to it.
on July 28th, 2007 at 4:01 am
Thanks for this great blog.
Just thought I’d share some news from UC Berkeley regarding a breakthrough discovery in nutritional immunology.
Scientists have recently uncovered that Diindolylmethane from broccoli is a potent activator of the immune response system with potent anti-cancer properties, explaining in part why epidemeological studies have indicated that people who consume a lot of Brassica vegetables have a lower risk of cancer.
Regards,
Mike
References:
http://www.diindolylmethane.org/
http://www.activamune.com/diindolylmethane_dim_immune_activation_data_center.htm