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Diet, nutrition, and avoidable cancer

W C Willett1

  • 1Departments of Epidemiology and Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Environmental Health Perspectives
|November 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Dietary changes can potentially prevent a significant portion of cancer deaths. Recent evidence suggests around 32% of cancers may be avoidable through diet modifications, reinforcing the importance of nutrition in cancer prevention.

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Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Carcinogenesis
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • The 1981 Doll and Peto review estimated 35% of US cancer deaths were diet-modifiable.
  • Subsequent research has expanded the understanding of diet's role in cancer and carcinogenesis mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To reassess the proportion of cancer deaths potentially avoidable by dietary modification in light of updated evidence.
  • To evaluate the impact of recent findings on established diet-cancer links.

Main Methods:

  • Review and synthesis of extensive epidemiologic literature on diet and cancer.
  • Analysis of updated data on specific cancers like colon and breast cancer.
  • Consideration of physical activity and caloric restriction's roles.

Main Results:

  • The initial Doll and Peto estimate of diet-modifiable cancer deaths remains largely relevant.
  • Evidence suggests physical activity influences colon cancer rates more than previously thought.
  • Prospective studies do not support fat intake alone as the primary driver of breast cancer rates.
  • Red meat consumption is increasingly linked to colon and prostate cancers.
  • Protective factors in fruits and vegetables are highlighted as crucial.

Conclusions:

  • Approximately 32% of cancer deaths are estimated to be avoidable by dietary changes.
  • The range of potentially avoidable cancer deaths due to diet is estimated between 20% and 42%.
  • Emphasis shifts towards protective dietary factors, particularly from fruits and vegetables.

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