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Mediterranean Diet Linked with Lower Risk of Aggressive Prostate Cancer

Lifestyle habits, like diet, are an important part of a cancer-protective strategy. To see if diet relates to prostate cancer risk, researchers analyzed the eating habits of 754 men with prostate cancer, and 1,277 controls without prostate cancer. Those most closely following a Mediterranean diet were 34% less likely to have an aggressive form of prostate cancer than those not following a Mediterranean diet. A Western diet (filled with fast food, sweets, and red meat) and a prudent diet (filled with low fat dairy, juice, produce, and whole grains) were not found to be linked to prostate cancer risk.
Journal of Urology. 2018 Feb;199(2):430-437. (Castello A et al.)

Whole Grains Linked with Longer Lives

From Sardinia, Italy, to Nicoya, Costa Rice some of the longest-lived people in the world enjoy a diet filled with whole grains. To better understand this relationship, researchers analyzed data from 19 cohort studies encompassing more than one million participants. They found that each one-ounce daily serving of whole grains was associated with a 14% lower risk of death from heart disease, a 3% lower risk of death from cancer, and a 9% lower risk of total mortality.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2018 Jan;72(1):57-65. (Zhang B et al.)

High Glycemic Index Foods Linked with Bladder Cancer

Carbohydrates are the building blocks of a balanced diet, but not all carbs are created equal. To see how diet might relate to bladder cancer risk, researchers analyzed the diets of 578 adults with bladder cancer and 608 controls without bladder cancer. Those regularly eating high glycemic index and glycemic load foods (foods that are more rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, thus spiking your blood sugar) were more likely to have bladder cancer, as were those who regularly ate refined grains like bread and pasta. However, these results were not as strong in people who regularly eat vegetables. People who regularly eat whole grains and/or legumes tended to be less likely to have bladder cancer, but the results were not statistically significant.
British Journal of Nutrition. 2017 Nov;118(9):722-729. (Augustin LSA et al.)

Healthier Diet May Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions & Cut Healthcare Costs

Healthy diets nourish both people and the planet, and the savings can be quite impressive. Scientists in California created models to analyze how greenhouse gas emissions and healthcare costs might change if we decrease red & processed meat and refined grains in our standard US diet, and shift to eat more beans and peas, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. The researchers found that opting for the healthier diets can reduce risk of heart disease, colorectal cancer, and type 2 diabetes by 20-40%, saving the US $77-93 billion per year in healthcare. These shifts can also lower greenhouse gas emissions by 222-826 kg CO2, which is equivalent to 6-23% of the US Climate Action Plan’s target. Climatic Change. 2017 Mar 6. [Epub] (Hallstrom E et al.)

Mediterranean Diet Linked with up to 40% Lower Risk of Breast Cancer

About ⅓ of breast cancer cases are hormone-receptor-negative, meaning that they are unlikely to respond to hormonal therapy. To see if diet relates to breast cancer risk, researchers analyzed the eating habits and health outcomes of more than 62,500 post-menopausal Dutch women for about 20 years. Those most closely following a Mediterranean diet were 40% less likely to develop estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer, although overall breast cancer risk and the risk for other types of breast cancer were not significantly lower. Nut intake was the only food significantly associated with a lower risk of estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer. For total and estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer, whole grain intake contributed the most to the lower risk, although not significantly.
International Journal of Cancer. 2017 Mar 5. [Epub ahead of print] (van den Brandt PA).

Whole Grains & Fiber Linked with Less Colorectal Cancer

Because colorectal cancer forms in the large intestine, diet is thought to be a potential risk factor. To see how food fits into the puzzle, scientists at Harvard analyzed the eating patterns and health markers of 137,217 adults for more than two decades. Those eating a healthy diet rich in fiber and whole grains were significantly less likely to develop a certain type of colorectal cancer (Fusobacterium nucleatum–positive, but not Fusobacterium nucleatum-negative) than those eating a “Western diet” rich in red meat, refined grains, and dessert. Fusobacterium nucleatum is a type of gut bacteria thought to contribute to colorectal cancer, as it’s often elevated in colorectal cancer patients. Based on their findings, the scientists suspect that the cancer-protective effect of fiber and whole grains may have to do with their role in improving the gut microbiome.
JAMA Oncology.  2017 Jan 26. [Epub ahead of print.] (Mehta RS)

Whole Grains, Pasta Linked with Lower Breast Cancer Risk

An estimated 1 in 8 women in the US will develop invasive breast cancer over her lifetime, so preventive lifestyle choices are an important area of research. To see how diet plays a role, Harvard scientists analyzed the grain food choices of 90,516 pre-menopausal women, and monitored their health outcomes for 22 years. After adjusting for known breast cancer risk factors, those eating 1.5 servings of whole grains per day were 18% less likely to get pre-menopausal breast cancer than those eating hardly any whole grains (0.2 servings/day). This relationship was no longer significant after adjusting for fiber, suggesting that the fiber in whole grains may play a protective role. When looking at individual grain foods, brown rice and pasta (white or whole grain) were associated with a lower risk of overall breast cancer risk, while white bread was linked with a higher risk of overall breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 2016 Sep;159(2):335-45. (Farvid MS et al.)

Whole Grains Linked with Longevity

In a meta analysis, Harvard scientists analyzed the whole grain intake and rates of death for 786,076 adults across 14 studies. Compared to people who ate the least whole grains, people who ate the most whole grains had a 16% lower risk of death from all causes, an 18% lower risk of death from heart disease, and a 12% lower risk of death from cancer. However, the significantly lower risk of cancer death was only seen in people who ate at least 30g whole grains per day (the amount in about ½ cup cooked brown rice, or 2 slices of 100% whole grain bread). The researchers also observed a dose response relationship, meaning the more whole grains someone ate, the less likely they were to die during the study period. According to the scientists, these results “strongly supported the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” which encourage at least 3 servings of whole grains per day (totaling at least 48g whole grains).
Circulation. 2016 Jun 14;133(24):2370-80. (Zong G et al.)

Whole Grains Linked with Lower Risk of Heart Disease, Cancer, Respiratory Disease, Infectious Diseases, Diabetes, and Early Death

Researchers in Europe and the US analyzed 45 studies (ranging from 245,012 to 705,253 participants each) in a meta analysis to understand the relationship between whole grains and health. Compared to people who ate the least whole grains, people who ate the most whole grains had a 16-21% lower risk of heart disease, an 11% lower risk of cancer, and an 18% lower risk of death from all causes, as well as a 19% lower risk of death from respiratory disease, a 36% lower risk of death from diabetes, a 20% lower risk of death from infectious disease, and a 21% lower risk of death from all non-cardiovascular, non-cancer causes. The researchers also found that a 90g increase in whole grain foods per day (about 3 servings) was linked with a 19-22% lower risk of heart disease, a 15% lower risk of cancer, and a 17% lower risk of death from all causes, and that “even moderate increases in whole grain intake could reduce the risk of premature mortality.” Whole grain bread, whole grain cereals, total grains, total cereals, total bread, pasta, and bran, were also singled out for their relationship with lower rates of various diseases and/or early death. The researchers conclude that their findings “strongly support existing dietary recommendations to increase whole grain consumption in the general population.”
British Medical Journal. 2016 June 14;353. (Aune D et al.)

Eating Fiber in Young Adulthood Linked with Lower Breast Cancer Risk

Dietary fiber is an important nutrient found in plant foods (mostly in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and pulses). To study the link between fiber intake and breast cancer risk, Harvard scientists analyzed the adolescent and early adulthood diets of over 90,000 women, and noted any diagnosis of breast cancer. The researchers found that every 10g of fiber in adolescence and young adulthood was linked with a 14% and 13% lower risk of breast cancer, respectively. In fact, those eating the most fiber in adolescence and young adulthood (25g per day) were 25% less likely to get breast cancer than those eating the least fiber (12g per day).
Pediatrics. 2016 Feb 1. pii: peds.2015-1226. (Farvid MS et al).

Healthy Diet with Whole Grains May Improve Prostate Cancer Survival

Healthy diets are an effective way to help prevent diseases, like cancer, but emerging research shows that they can also improve survival in people who have already been diagnosed. In a study of over 900 male physicians diagnosed with prostate cancer, Harvard researchers analyzed their eating patterns and followed their health records for 14 years after diagnosis. They found that men who ate a typical “Western diet” (high in red and processed meat, high fat dairy foods, and refined grains) had more than twice the risk of prostate-cancer related death, and a 67% increased risk of death from all causes. On the other hand, those who ate a healthy diet (with whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, and healthy oils) had a 36% lower risk of death from all causes. This study affirms that nutritious, balanced diets promote the best health outcomes, and that whole grains are an integral component of an overall, healthy diet.
Cancer Prevention Research. 2015 June 1. [Epub ahead of print] (Yang M et al.)

Healthy Diets with Whole Grains Improve Longevity in Low Income Minorities

Minorities and low-income populations are often underrepresented in nutrition studies, but new research indicates that healthy diets with whole grains can benefit all of us, including underserved populations. In this study, researchers examined the diets and medical records of over 77,000 people from 12 states in the southeastern US, most of whom were low-income and African American. Researchers found that those most closely adhering to a healthy diet (including at least 1 ½ servings of whole grains per day) had a 14-23% lower death rate from all diseases, heart disease, cancer, and more. Additionally, while overall dietary patterns are the best way to assess health, whole grains specifically were associated with a lower death risk (as were dairy, seafood, and plant proteins).
PLOS Medicine. 2015 May 26;12(5):e1001830; discussion e1001830. (Yu D et al.)

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