[A large scale cohort study of dietary habits and cancer mortality]

A large scale cohort study on cancer conducted in Japan for 265118 adults aged 40 and above from 1965 to 1982 revealed a striking risk reducing effect of daily consumption of green-yellow vegetables especially in cigarette smokers. Such effect was observed clearly for cancer of all sites, cancers of mouth and pharynx, esophagus, stomach, liver, larynx, lung, urinary bladder, and uterine cervix. Beta-carotene, vitamin C, minerals, such as calcium and iron, and dietary fibre rich in green-yellow vegetables must be operating in reducing risk of these cancers. Significance of these findings in preventing cancer in man was discussed.