A new study has revealed that men who follow a vegan diet could be at 35 per cent reduced risk of developing prostate cancer.
The major new study, funded by World Cancer Research Fund, was carried out by researchers at Loma Linda University, in California, who studied more than 26,000 men, and for the first time assessed the link between prostate cancer and various types of diet including non-vegetarian, pescatarian and vegan diets.
Dr Panagiota Mitrou, Director of Research Funding at World Cancer Research Fund, commented: “This exciting research has, for the first time, helped fill some vital gaps in our knowledge about eating patterns and the prevention of prostate cancer. Prevention is key if we are to see a decrease in the number of men developing the disease.”
Professor Gary Fraser, Study Researcher at Loma Linda University, continued: “This new research, funded by World Cancer Research Fund, makes a significant step in linking a vegan diet to reduced prostate cancer risk. What we now need is more research into this area to determine to the extent a vegan diet could reduce the number of men developing this cancer.”
Commenting on the results, Jimmy Pierce, Spokesperson for The Vegan Society, added: “The evidence around the disease-preventative qualities of the vegan diet is now overwhelming. Time and again we are seeing new research showing the vegan diet to be significantly better for our health. Still lingering, however, is the perception that eating meat is macho, that it somehow enhances masculinity or virility. Yet it is killing thousands of men in the UK every year. Now is the time to reject this outdated notion and embrace plant-based living regardless of gender – for the animals and the planet as well as your health.”
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with over 47,000 new cases annually. More than 10,000 men die of the cancer each year, and worldwide it is the second most common cancer in men.
