Advocates of stricter forms of a vegetarian diet point out that changes of a few ounces are not likely to make much of a difference in cancer occurrence. One needs to make drastic changes, they say, in order to combat as intractable a disease as cancer.
Dr. Pam Popper, director of the Wellness Forum of Columbus, Ohio, suggests that these changes should consist of (a) the elimination of dairy products, (b) the reduction or elimination of all other animal foods (the upper limit being 10 percent of calories), (c) reduction of fat and elimination of oils, and (d) consumption of a diet composed of high-fiber, nutrient-dense, whole plant foods. She points to studies that indicate that such a diet can not only prevent cancer but can actually stop the progression of various disease states (Popper 2010).
Popper cites Cornell Professor Colin Campbell's fascinating book, The China Study, to show that animal protein can be a powerful cancer promoter. She also claims that dietary fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are a significant factor in cancer risk. Indeed, in 1991, Kenneth K. Carroll concluded: "Total dietary fat correlates with cancer incidence and mortality at least as well as does any particular type of fat" (Carroll 1991). The consumption of dairy products has been linked to several forms of cancer, particularly tumors of the prostate (Chan 2001), although there is hardly unanimity on this idea, even in vegetarian circles.
My friend Ann Fonfa (annieappleseed.com) makes a good point that the topmost consumers of fruits and vegetables in the study (Quintile 5) consumed as little as 647 grams per day (i.e., a minimum of 23 ounces). This is not very much! Right now I have a single sweet potato in my refrigerator that weights 586 grams, itself almost the uppermost limit of daily consumption in the EPIC study. There was no attempt made to isolate those people who were really getting a high proportion of their daily calories from fresh fruits and vegetables (and no consideration was given to the question of organic food, either).
None of these factors were considered in the EPIC study just released. What would have been the effect if strict vegans (no eggs, dairy, fish or meat) had been considered as a separate category. That might have provided very positive results, which probably would have proven more meaningful than the data that emerged from the EPIC study.
--Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D.
Resources:
Boffetta P, et al. Fruit and vegetable intake and overall cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). J Natl Cancer Inst. 2010;102:1-9 Advanced access published April 6, 2010.
Campbell, Colin. The China Study. Dallas: Benbella Books, 2006.
Chan JM and Giovannucci EL. Dairy products, calcium and vitamin D and risk of prostate cancer. Epidemiol Revs. 2001;23:87-92
Carroll KK. Dietary fats and cancer. Am J Clin Nutr. 1991;53:1064S-7S.
Cancer Projected To Become Leading Cause Of Death Worldwide In 2010. Science Daily, December 8, 2008. Accessed:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081209111516.htm
Popper, Pam. Personal communication. April 7, 2010.
 The Moss Reports is on Facebook (Get Connected)
|
