Flavonoids are antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables, tea, and wine. They help protect the body from damage by free radicals. A new study suggests that a diet high in flavonoids may help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, especially in smokers and alcohol drinkers.

Researchers used data from the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health cohort study, which included 56,048 adults with an average age of 56. Dietary intake data was recorded at baseline. Data on smoking and alcohol consumption was also collected. Participants were followed for 23 years.  

Moderate, daily intake of flavonoids was found to reduce the risk of cardiovascular and cancer-related mortality in all participants. This association tended to plateau at intakes of 500 mg/day. This risk in reduction was highest for smokers and for those who consumed more than 8 ounces of alcohol per day.

The study was conducted by researchers from Herlov and Gentofte University Hospital, Denmark and the University of Western Australia. It was presented online ahead of print on August 13, 2019 in the journal Nature Communications.

Eating high amounts of red meat has been associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke. Now a new study suggests that red meat consumption may also increase the risk of breast cancer.

The researchers looked at consumption of different meat categories for 42,012 women who participated in the Sister Study. The women were followed for an average of 7.6 years, and all incidences of breast cancer were recorded.

Women who consumed the highest amount of red meat were found to have a 23% higher risk of invasive breast cancer compared to women who consumed the least amount. In contrast, women who consumed the highest amount of poultry had a 15% lower risk of invasive breast cancer compared to those who ate the least amount. Women who substituted red meat for poultry also had a decreased risk of breast cancer.

The study was conducted by researchers from Columbia University and the National University of Singapore. It was published online ahead of print on August 6, 2019 in the International Journal of Cancer.

Colorectal cancer is a cancer that starts in the colon or the rectum. These cancers can also be called colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where they start. According to a new study, regular consumption of fish may help decrease the risk of colorectal cancer.

Researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer used data from the 10-country European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Study. The study ran from 1992 to 2000 and included 521,324 participants. The researchers used food frequency questionnaires to estimate dietary intake of total, fatty/oily, and lean/white fish and omega-3 fatty acids. They also drew blood samples to measure blood levels of fatty acids. Participants were followed for an average of 14.9 years and all cases of colorectal cancer were recorded.

In addition, the researchers compared plasma samples from 461 participants who developed colorectal cancer and 461 matched participants who did not develop colorectal cancer.

The researchers found that participants who consumed the most fish were 12% less likely to have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer compared to those who ate less than one portion. Participants who consumed more omega-3 fatty acids had a decreased risk of colorectal cancer. A higher dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 was found to increase the risk of colorectal cancer.

The study was published online ahead of print on June 25, 2019 in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Drinking sugary beverages such as soda and juice have been linked to an increased risk of weight gain, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.  According to a recent study, increasing consumption of sugary drinks may also increase the risk of cancer.

Researchers from the National Health and Medical Research Institute at the Paris 13 University looked at data from the NutriNet Santé study, which began in 2009 and includes 101,257 adults. Participants completed five questionnaires at the beginning of the study that asked about sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics, dietary intakes, physical activity, and health status. Weight was collected every six months. Participants filled out a 24-hour dietary record every six months. Health events were recorded through a yearly questionnaire.

The researchers found that a consuming as little as 3.3 ounces of sugary drinks per day was associated with an 18% increase in the risk of overall cancer and a 22% increase in the risk of breast cancer. This association was found for sugar sweetened beverages and 100% pure fruit juice. No association was found between the consumption of artificially sweetened beverages and cancer.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital. It was published on July 10, 2019 in the journal BMJ.

Bowel cancer is a general term for cancer that begins in the large bowel. A new study has found that eating two or more weekly servings of yogurt is associated with a lower risk in men of developing the adenomas that precede bowel cancer.

Participants in the study included 32,606 men who took part in the Health Professionals Follow Up Study and 55,743 women who took part in the Nurses’ Health Study. All of the participants had had a lower bowel endoscopy between 1986 and 2012. Every four years, they provided detailed information on demographics, lifestyle and diet, including yogurt consumption.

Men who ate two or more servings of yogurt per week were found to have a 19% lower risk of developing a conventional adenoma, compared to those who ate no yogurt. The risk of developing an adenoma that was likely to become cancerous was 26% lower. No association was found between yogurt consumption and the development of adenomas in women.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. It was published on June 17, 2019 in the journal Gut.

Previous studies have found that high consumption of certain foods may increase the likelihood of developing cancer. Now a new study has estimated the diet burden associated with under or overconsumption of certain foods and sugar-sweetened beverages. 

The researchers used a Comparative Risk Assessment model to estimate the association of diet with cancer risk. The model incorporated nationally representative data on dietary intake and national cancer incidence.

The researchers found that diet-related factors accounted for 5.2% of new invasive cancer cases in 2015. Low consumption of whole grains, dairy products and fruits and vegetables and high consumption of processed meats, red meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages contributed to the highest burden. Excessive body weight accounted for 1% of the cancer burden, and physical activity accounted for 3%. 

Colorectal cancer had the highest proportion of diet-related cases, at 38.3% of all cases associated with sub-optimal diets. Cancer of the mouth, pharynx, and larynx were associated with 25.9%. 6.8% were associated with stomach cancer, 6.1% with uterine cancer, 3.9% with kidney cancer, and 3.1% with liver cancer. Approximately 16% of all diet-related cases were associated with obesity. In addition, men had a larger number of diet-associated cancer cases, compared to women.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Tufts University and Harvard University. It was published on May 22, 2019 in the journal JNCI Cancer Spectrum.

Previous studies have found an association between drinking hot tea and increased risk of esophageal cancer, but none have looked at the association using objectively measured tea drinking temperature. A recent study did just that and found that drinking tea that is hotter than 140ºF increases the risk of esophageal cancer by 90%.

For this study, the researchers used data from the Golestan Cohort Study, which included 50,045 participants between the ages of 40 and 75. They measured tea drinking temperature and collected data on several other eat drinking habits. The participants were followed for an average of 10.1 years.

During the follow-up period, 317 new cases of esophageal cancer were reported. The researchers found that drinking tea above the temperature of 140º F, having a preference for drinking very hot tea, and a shorter time between pouring tea and drinking it were all associated with a higher risk of esophageal cancer. They also found that those who drank more than 3 cups of tea per day at a temperature of 140ºF or higher had a 90% higher risk of esophageal cancer compared to those who drank less than 3 cups of tea per day at a temperature lower than 140º F.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences. It was published on March 20, 2019 in the International Journal of Cancer.