Thread: Vegetarians less likely to develop cancer than meat eaters

Vegetarians less likely to develop cancer than meat eaters, says study

• Striking difference found in risk of disease in blood
• Scientists acknowledge more research still needed

• Karen McVeigh
• The Guardian, Wednesday 1 July 2009

Vegetables on display at a farm shop. Photograph: Chris Radburn/PA

For years, they have boasted of the health benefits of their leafy diets, but now vegetarians have the proof that has so far eluded them: when it comes to cancer risks, they have the edge on carnivores.


Fresh evidence from the largest study to date to investigate dietary habits and cancer has concluded that vegetarians are 45% less likely to develop cancer of the blood than meat eaters and are 12% less likely to develop cancer overall.


Scientists said that while links between stomach cancer and eating meat had already been reported, they had uncovered a "striking difference" in the risk of blood cancers including leukaemia, multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma between the groups. The study looked at vegetarians, fish eaters and people who ate meat.


Co-author Naomi Allen, from the Cancer Research UK epidemiology unit at Oxford University, said: "Previous research has found that processed meat may increase the risk of stomach cancer, so our findings that vegetarians and fish eaters are at lower risk is plausible. But we do not know why cancer of the blood is lower in vegetarians."
She said the differences in cancer risks were independent of other lifestyle factors including smoking, alcohol intake and obesity.


However, Allen urged caution over the interpretation of the findings. "It is a significant difference, but we should be a bit cautious since it is the first study showing that the risk of cancer of the blood is lower in vegetarians. We need to know what aspect of a fish and vegetarian diet is protecting against cancer. Is it the higher fibre intake, higher intake of fruit and vegetables, is it just meat per se?"


The study also reported that the total cancer incidence was significantly lower among both the fish eaters and the vegetarians compared with meat eaters.
The study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, is part of a long-term international study, the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition (Epic).
Today's findings were based on a study of 61,000 people who scientists followed over 12 years. During this time, 3,350 participants were diagnosed with cancer. Of those, 68% (2,204) were meat eaters, 24% (800) were vegetarians and 9.5% (300) ate fish but no meat.


They found that 180 meat eaters developed blood cancers, while 49 vegetarians developed the diseases and 28 fish eaters. They found the risk of being diagnosed with cancers of the stomach, bladder and blood was significantly lower in vegetarians than in meat eaters but, in contrast to earlier work, they found the rate of bowel cancer was slightly higher among vegetarians than meat eaters.


A spokesman for BPEX, the British pig executive, questioned the methodology of the study: "We are unable to take a view on this because there is mixed evidence based on the compounding factors to do with lifestyle that come into it."


Richard Lowe, the chief executive of Eblex, the English beef and lamb executive, said: "We think that the link between diet and cancer is complex and as scientists themselves say, more research is needed to see how big a part diet plays."


The Oxford research is the latest in a series of reports to discourage too much meat in the diet. Last year, Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – which last year earned a share of the Nobel peace prize – urged giving up meat at least once a week as a way of combating global warming. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation has estimated that meat production accounts for nearly a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions.


Two years ago, the World Cancer Research Fund found a link between red and processed meat and bowel cancer and recommended that the average amount of meat eaten should be no more than 300g a week. In Britain, the current meat intake is about 970g a week for men and about 550g a week for women.


In 2005, the Epic study, funded by the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, concluded that eating just two portions of red meat a day – the equivalent of a bacon sandwich and a fillet steak – increased the risk of bowel cancer by 35%. It found that eating fibre, in the form of vegetables, fruit and wholegrain cereals, lessened the risk of cancer and that fish, eaten at least every other day, was also protective.


Annette Pinner, chief executive of the Vegetarian Society, said: "It is widely recognised that a third of cancers are directly related to diet and what's interesting in this study is the findings on blood cancers. We wouldn't claim vegetarianism is a panacea for cancer but it is a step in the right direction."

Western symptom based medicine still has a lot to learn about prevention and being humble in the face of afflictions they cannot treat. In a situation like fossil's I would not believe just one doctor.

Archeological evidence shows that our early human primate ancestors ate a mostly vegetarian diet. The meat they ate comprised only 5% of their diet and was most likely made of insects. Later primitive man ate about 10% of their diet as meat. Animals were too valuable as farm workers or milk producers and were only eaten on religious days or for celebrations. The rise of the industrial revolution saw an increase in agricultural production such that the human diet could increase to the present day's meat consumption of 30 to 40% (and more in some cases). That's an increase of up to 30% in only 200 years. Bound to be biological consequences for that.

Whatever about the benefits of a vegetarian diet, the heart disease-busting meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner option that people indulge in just cant be good.

I'm a staunch carnivore myself, but try going veggie for a week and see how much better your dumps feel and smell.

Local law. NEVER chop down a papaya tree. "It brings bad luck". Not only is it good for the digestive system and keeps you regular, it also staves off cancer.

also, just in, vegetarians far more likely to be weak ass skinny bastards.

Originally Posted by thefossil

He told me up front that cancer of the lymph glands is incurable, but he said I can make you live longer. So what the hell, I started taking his medecine. 32 months and counting.

bladdy hell, how do you cope with that mentally?
how old are you now?

Originally Posted by Blake

Where can you buy these herbs?

I can only give you a phone number as directions in BKK are not in my lexicon.

02-952-6175 Never on Sunday and I suggest an interpreter if you are not fluent in Thai.

Originally Posted by kikiat

bladdy hell, how do you cope with that mentally? how old are you now?

I am deep into meditation on a daily basis since I am retired and I will celebrate my diamond jubilee in August. (75)

Facts from the Study:

Of the kinds of cancers studied(those related to blood..multiple myeloma,lymph cancer ,leukimia etc) meat eaters showed a 33% chance of getting cancers whereas veggies showed a 29% chance...4% difference..factor out a 5% margin of error and the benefits are argueable.

just eat a well balanced diet with exercise...

Originally Posted by Guy Mandude

Great PETA propaganda...also, vegetarians have better sex drives than meat eaters, right?

I'm not a vegetarian but I do believe it's healthier lifestyle (I just live my chicken and sushi). Yes Guy, vegetarians are trying to take over the world.