You Are What You Eat: Poor Diet Linked to Many Cancers

By Editorial Staff

The dreaded C word is so feared for a reason: A cancer diagnosis can shock your world, not to mention put your life in jeopardy. But with an estimated 90 percent of cancers attributable to diet and exercise habits, there's hope for those willing to take their health into their own hands. Start today by examining your eating habits, because poor nutrition is a proven cause of many – yes, we said many – cancers.

The proof is in the research. Case in point: a new study in PLOS Medicine that suggests cancer rates among people who eat the most "junk food" are significantly higher than people who eat the least junk food. Specific cancers associated with higher junk food consumption, per the study, include colorectal, respiratory tract (encompassing a long list of cancer types including lip, mouth, tongue, nose, throat, vocal cord, esophagus / windpipe cancers) and stomach for both men and women. Separated by gender, men also had a higher risk of lung cancer, while women had a higher risk of liver and postmenopausal breast cancer.

It's important to note that findings were adjusted to account for other factors known to elevate cancer risk, especially factors often common to people who pursue a poor diet (such as lack of exercise, higher body mass index, etc.). In other words, poor diet independently correlated with higher cancer risk.

This isn't the first study to link inadequate nutrition with cancer risk, but fortunately, an abundance of research also suggests the opposite: Eating a balanced diet high in quality nutrition reduces the risk of various types of cancer. Talk to your doctor to learn more.