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| Specific Cancers |
Stomach and Esophageal Cancer
Doctors at Yale University found that a high fat intake, animal protein, and cholesterol-found only in animal products-were associated with a higher risk of stomach and esophageal cancer. "We found that many animal-based nutrients are strongly associated with risk of developing these types of cancers," says Yale's Dr. Susan Mayne. "[P]revention strategies should emphasize increased consumption of plant foods, decreased consumption of foods of animal origin ..."
Breast Cancer
The American Dietetic Association reports that breast cancer is most prevalent in countries where women consume animal-based diets. For example, in Asia, where they consume a small fraction of the chicken, pork, beef, and dairy products that we do in the West, breast cancer is almost unheard of. T. Colin Campbell, who headed up the landmark China Study and found the consumption of animal protein diets linked to cancer and heart disease, says that China is "a country that is successfully feeding a billion people primarily on plant derived food but so far avoiding much of the major diseases affecting Western countries." However, when women emigrate to the West and adopt a Western diet high in animal products, their cancer rates increase. Dr. Dean Ornish explains, "In Japan and other countries where the consumption of animal fat is much lower, breast cancer is rare. It's not because their genes are different. When Japanese women move to the United States and begin consuming a high-fat diet, they develop breast cancer at about the same rate as Americans-more than 400 percent higher than in Japan."
Prostate Cancer
A study comparing the dietary habits of men in 32 countries found that the highest risk factors for prostate cancer mortality were meat and dairy products. By contrast, another study of men diagnosed with prostate cancer showed that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and grains can slow or even halt the progression of the disease. The ACS, which has launched a "Five a Day" program encouraging people to eat more fruits and vegetables, believes that the "intake of saturated fat-animal fat from red meat and dairy products-is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer."
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