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2007-8-30 13:40:52 |
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Monday August 6, 2007 (Foodconsumer.org) -- Eating just one serving or more of broccoli and cauliflower a week may reduce risk of prostate cancer by up to 45 percent, according to a new study published in the August 1 2007 issue of Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Victoria Kirsh from Cancer Care Ontario, Canada and colleagues found those who ate high amounts of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower were 40 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer. Early epidemiological studies have linked fruit and vegetable intake to reduced risk of prostate cancer, which is diagnosed in some 200,000 American men each year. But the researchers believed those findings are inconsistent. For their study, the researchers followed 1338 patients with prostate cancer among 29,361 men for an average of 4.2 years. Participants were surveyed using a 137-item food frequency questionnaire when they entered the study. They found no association between overall consumption of fruit and vegetables and prostate cancer risk. But an association was found for increased intake of vegetables. Those who used highest amounts of vegetables were 59 percent less likely to be diagnosed with extraprostatic prostate cancer (stage III or IV tumors) compared to those who ate the lowest amounts. For cruciferous vegetables, the risk of prostate cancer was cut by 40 percent in those who used highest amounts, compared to those who ate the lowest amounts. In particular, those who ate more than one serving of broccoli per week were 45 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer compared to those who ate less than one serving per month. Those who ate more than one serving cauliflower were 52 percent less likely to have the disease. The researchers also found that increased spinach consumption was linked with reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer. "High intake of cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli and cauliflower, may be associated with reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer, particularly extraprostatic disease," the researchers concluded. The association does not mean eating vegetables can definitely prevent prostate cancer although the possibility can't be ruled out, a scientist affiliated with foodconsumer.org suggested. Eating vegetables may be only part of an overall healthy lifestyle that contributes to the reduced risk of prostate cancer. The Dietary guidelines for Americans recommends consuming two cups of fruit and two and a half cups of vegetables per day and using all five fruits and vegetables including dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables several times a week. ### Copyright 2007 foodconsumer.org All rights reserved. Foodconsumer.org publishes daily news and reports on food and diet, some of which are not available from the mainstream news media. This article can be used by individuals and organizations for not-for-profit purposes without prior express permission from foodconsumer.org on condition that this article including the author and this copyright note should be used in entirety without alteration. |
