Experts always recommend having a healthy and balanced diet to reduce the risk of contracting even serious diseases. For this reason it is good to follow their advice, also because they are supported by many studies.
As we will see today, a further study confirms that there is a type of food that should be eliminated from the diet to reduce the risk of cancer. This type of studies remind us, therefore, of the importance of having a lot of regard for what we eat. If we usually eat in an unhealthy way, it is better that we turn to a specialist, who will compose the most suitable diet for us.
An important confirmation and many interesting data
A very recent British study sought to analyze how meat consumption can influence the risk of contracting some common cancers. The study analyzed the diets of over 450,000 people, focusing in particular on meat consumption and the onset of cancer.
Research seems to confirm what is often said in many quarters: a high consumption of meat could have negative effects on the body. Specifically, the researchers observed that those who ate fewer than 5 servings a week of red meat or poultry had a 9% lower risk of getting colon cancer. Some medical associations were already aware of this correlation and invited, in fact, to reduce the consumption of at least red meat.
There could also be effects on breast and prostate cancer incidence, but the results are more difficult to confirm, according to the researchers. A vegetarian or vegan diet was found to be associated with 18% lower risks of getting cancer, but this was only true for women who had passed the menopause.
To reduce the risk of cancer, it is necessary to eliminate from the diet or reduce the consumption of this type of food
As for prostate cancer, the risk was 20-30% lower in vegetarians, vegans and pescetarians.
However, the researchers said their findings do not conclusively prove that vegan and vegetarian diets are best for preventing cancer. The main reason is that it is difficult to clearly separate all risk factors. Therefore it is not easy to define whether the reduction in risk is due to diet, or to other aspects, such as increased physical activity. In short, these are important but not definitive results.
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