Scientists discover vegetarians have significantly lower risk of 5 types of cancer
Callum Jones
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
A recently published study has found those who adopt a vegetarian lifestyle are at a significantly lower risk of developing five specific cancers.
It's predicted over two million people will be diagnosed with cancer in the US this year, while 626,000 are expected to die from the disease.
So, any tips on how to reduce your chances of developing cancer is always welcomed, and according to a study published in the British Journal of Cancer, becoming a vegetarian may just help your chances.
Scientists discovered five cancers in particular are less likely to pop up under a vegetarian diet after analyzing the eating habits of more than 1.8 million people over the period of 16 years.
Advert
Those who are vegetarians are 21 percent less likely to develop pancreatic cancer, while their chances of developing prostate cancer are also lowered by 12 percent.
The study also found a nine percent decrease in a breast cancer diagnosis for vegetarians compared to those who eat meat. Experts also uncovered vegetarians are 28 percent less likely to get kidney cancer and have a 31 lower chance of developing the rare blood cancer of 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."
Meanwhile, 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, who worked as a co-investigator on the study, is recommending people to eat 'fruit, vegetables, and fibre-containing foods, and avoid processed meat' to reduce your chances of developing cancer.
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.