Diet and cancer: a short review

The idea that diet and nutrition have an important influence on health is an age-old one. Its link with cancer was mentioned in Chinese medical writings in the twelfth century. Recent interest in this subject started in the 1930s with animal studies. Today, the notion that diet has an aetiological role in cancer is well accepted. Some of the methodological issues in human studies include the inherent difficulty in estimating dietary intakes, the effect of confounding and interaction, and the low risks associated with specific food items or nutrients. The paper will discuss the main factors implicated, with particular reference to studies in Singapore--on colorectal and breast cancers. The findings point to the profiling of a high-risk diet comprising high meat intake and a relative deficiency in fruits and vegetables (especially those of the cruciferae family). The active components of fruits and vegetables point to a number of micronutrients and substances which have cancer inhibitory properties. They are currently subjects of vigorous research all over the world.