A low-meat diet could protect against cancer. A study published in the journal BMC Medicine shows that eating less than 5 servings of meat a week or, better yet, not eating it at all is associated with a reduced risk of getting cancer.
The study was conducted at the University of Oxford by Cody Watling, considering a sample of 472,377 adults aged 40-70 whose consumption of meat and fish has been monitored over time. The experts also monitored the new cancers diagnosed for this sample over an 11-year period.
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The consumptions of the sample under examination are distributed as follows: 247,571 participants (52% of the total) ate meat more than 5 times a week, 205,382 (44%) ate meat 5 times a week or less, 10,696 (2%) ate fish but not meat, 8,685 (2%) were vegetarians or vegans. Over the study period, 54,961 participants (12%) fell ill with cancer.
The experts estimated that overall, compared to those who ate meat more than five times a week, the risk of cancer was 2% lower among those who ate it still five times a week or less; 10% lower among those who ate fish but not meat; 14% lower among vegetarians and vegans. In particular, those who ate little meat had a 9% lower risk of colorectal cancer than those who ate it more than 5 times a week; in addition, the risk of prostate cancer was 20% lower among males who ate only fish, and 31% lower among vegetarian males.
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As for vegetarians, their breast cancer risk was 18% lower. The next step, the researchers conclude, will be to repeat the study on an even larger sample of individuals.
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