Eating more fruit and veg does not prevent cancer

Published: April 11, 2020

Eating five portions of fruit and vegetables each day has been at the center of countless health campaigns ever since the World Health Organization stated that we should all consume this recommended amount each day in order to prevent cancer and other illnesses.

According to the BBC, it has been suggested that as many as 50% of cancers can be prevented just by adhering to this simple rule. A new study, however, says that the claims have been rather unsubstantiated.

Researchers led by a medical team from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York conducted an investigation of 500,000 individuals from ten European countries over almost 9 years as part of the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition study, concluding that the link between eating five portions of fruit and vegetables every day and the reduced risk of cancer is weak.

The results, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, revealed that, at best, cancer risk could be reduced by 2.6% in men and 2.3% in women.

Professor Walter Willet of Harvard University stated that, although the link is tenuous, certain vegetables are still thought to help lower risk of certain cancer types. According to evidence, a certain substance in tomatoes could lower the risk of prostate cancer, whereas broccoli may protect against bowel cancer.

Eating more fresh fruit and vegetables can contribute to lowering cholesterol and the chances of obesity, but should be considered in conjunction with other healthy lifestyle choices, such as cutting down alcohol and cigarettes and doing exercise.

Yinka Ebo of Cancer Research UK told the BBC: “It’s still a good idea to eat your five-a-day but remember that fruits and vegetables are pieces in a much larger lifestyle jigsaw.“

According to Medscape, lead author of the study, Dr. Boffetta urged: “There is no need to modify the message, because the overall effect is beneficial. The message to the public should be to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible.”

Images: Wikimedia Commons

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Published April 11, 2020 by Anna A. in Health News
Tags: cancer risk, five-a-day, fruit and veg, healthy lifestyle, preventing cancer