Can a healthy diet prevent prostate cancer?

MADRID, 22 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Leading a healthy life has as fundamental keys the practice of exercise and a healthy and balanced diet but, although both aspects provide great benefits for health and improve the quality of life, diet has added value since, according to a study led by According to researchers from the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), following an unhealthy diet could increase the risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer.

"Our results indicate that avoiding unhealthy dietary habits could be the best nutritional strategy to prevent aggressive prostate cancer," says the study's lead author, Dr. Adela Castelló-Pastor, from the ISCIII and the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red ( CIBERESP).

The study, from the Spanish European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort published in 'BJU International', evaluated the diets of 15,296 men recruited in Spain between 1992 and 1996. Among these men, 609 cases of prostate cancer were identified during a median 17-year follow-up. Diets were classified as Western, Prudential, and Mediterranean.

The Western dietary pattern consisted of a high intake of high-fat dairy products, processed meat, refined grains, sweets, caloric drinks, convenience foods, and sauces, and a low intake of low-fat dairy products and whole grains.

The prudent dietary pattern was characterized by a high intake of low-fat dairy products, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and juices.

And the Mediterranean dietary pattern represented a high intake of fish, vegetables, legumes, boiled potatoes, fruits, olives and vegetable oil, and a low intake of juices.

The investigators did not detect any effect on prostate cancer risk with the prudent and Mediterranean dietary patterns, but a detrimental effect was seen with the Western dietary pattern. This effect was only seen in aggressive tumors.

Furthermore, the main co-chair of the study, Marina Pollán, from the ISCIII and CIBERESP, also assures that "replacing the intake of Western-type dietary products with products characteristic of the Mediterranean diet could also reduce the risk of other chronic diseases".