Washington [US]: According to the study, following a healthy diet has no effect on prostate cancer risk, but following an unhealthy diet may increase the risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer. The findings of the study published in BJU International. The diets of 15,296 men recruited in Spain between 1992 and 1996 were examined in the study. During a median follow-up of 17 years, 609 prostate cancer cases were identified among these men.
Diets were classified as either Western, Prudent, or Mediterranean. The Western dietary pattern included a high intake of high-fat dairy products, processed meat, refined grains, sweets, caloric drinks, convenience foods, and sauces, as well as a low intake of low-fat dairy products and whole grains. A high intake of low-fat dairy products, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and juices characterised the Prudent dietary pattern.
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The Mediterranean diet included a lot of fish, vegetables, legumes, boiled potatoes, fruits, olives, and vegetable oil, but not much juice. No effect over prostate cancer risk was detected for the Prudent and Mediterranean dietary patterns, but detrimental effect was observed with the Western dietary pattern. This effect was only observed for aggressive tumors.
"Our results indicate that avoiding unhealthy dietary habits could be the best nutritional strategy to prevent aggressive prostate cancer," said lead author Adela Castello-Pastor, PhD, of the Carlos III Institute of Health and CIBERESP, in Spain. "Substituting the intake of Western-type diet products by products characteristic of the Mediterranean diet could also decrease the risk of other chronic diseases," added co-senior author Marina Pollan, PhD, of the Carlos III Institute of Health and CIBERESP, in Spain.
"The information provided by the Spanish cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-or EPIC-has contributed to improving scientific knowledge of the relationship between diet and cancer and other chronic diseases," added co-senior author Maria-Jose Sanchez, MD, PhD, lecturer at the Andalusian School of Public Health, scientific director at ibs.GRANADA and researcher at CIBERESP, in Spain. (ANI)
