A recent study conducted by the World Cancer Research Fund, the UK Cancer Research Centre, and the Oxford Population Health Centre indicated that vegetarians are less likely to develop cancer compared to meat-eaters. The research was published in the journal “BMC Medicine” and involved analyzing dietary patterns of over 450,000 individuals in the UK, categorizing participants based on their consumption of meat and fish.
The study participants were divided into three groups: the first group comprised individuals who consumed processed or red meats or poultry more than five times a week, the second group included those who consumed fish but not other types of meat, while the third group consisted of vegetarians who do not eat any meat or fish.
Researchers concluded the following results:
- The risk of developing any type of cancer was 2% lower among individuals with low meat consumption, 10% lower among regular meat consumers, and 14% lower among vegetarians.
- Individuals with low meat intake were 9% less likely to develop bowel cancer compared to those who consumed meat regularly.
- Vegetarian women had an 18% lower risk of postmenopausal breast cancer compared to regular meat eaters, possibly due to a lower body mass index observed in vegetarian women.
- Vegetarians and individuals who consumed fish were 20% to 31% less likely to develop prostate cancer compared to those who regularly ate meat.
Dr. Ian Basumoh, a senior consultant in radiation oncology at the Kolkata Cancer Research Centre in India, commented on the study, stating that a vegetarian diet can significantly reduce the risk of colorectal cancer or other gastrointestinal diseases, in addition to lowering overall cancer risk, as reported by the Indian Express.
