Study of 80,000 People Links Plant-Based Diets to Lower Cancer Risk

A recent study of nearly 80,000 people suggests that those who follow a predominantly plant-based diet are less likely to develop several types of cancer.

The research, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, analyzed data from the Adventist Health Study-2, which tracked more than 79,460 Seventh-Day Adventists in the US and Canada between 2002 and 2007.

Many Seventh-Day Adventists follow a vegetarian diet for religious reasons, but their lifestyle also has broader health benefits. Loma Linda, CA, a community with a high concentration of Adventists, is recognized as one of the world’s Blue Zones (areas known for exceptional longevity), thanks to habits such as eating plant-based whole foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties.

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RELATED: Eat Like a Blue Zoner: How to Follow the Loma Linda Diet

This new study focused specifically on diet. It found that participants who followed a vegetarian diet rich in whole plant foods were 45 percent less likely to develop stomach cancer, 25 percent less likely to develop lymphoma, and 12 percent less likely to develop cancer at all. 

These findings were compared to Adventists who maintained an otherwise healthy lifestyle but still consumed animal products.

“Many of those non-vegetarian Adventist people in this study were still very health-conscious, so in some ways, it’s amazing that we found anything at all,” said lead author Gary Fraser, an epidemiologist at Loma Linda University.

The researchers noted that the reduced risk of stomach cancer may be especially meaningful, since the stomach has the most direct contact with food. However, they cautioned that more evidence is needed to confirm whether a vegetarian diet lowers overall cancer risk. “The evidence from this study was suggestive of lower risk in vegetarians, but did not quite reach the necessary standard to say more,” researchers concluded.

Diet and cancer: what new research says

The new study adds to a growing body of evidence linking dietary habits to cancer risk.

For example, a clinical trial conducted by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center last year found that a high-fiber, plant-based diet may help delay the progression of precursor conditions that may lead to multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer.

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Around the same time, researchers at Flinders University published two studies suggesting that diets rich in plant-based whole foods could lower the risk of gastrointestinal cancers, including stomach, liver, and bowel cancer.

“As awareness around bowel cancer grows, our research serves as a timely reminder of the power of nutrition in disease prevention,” said senior author Yohannes Melaku, PhD, from Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute. “By adhering to healthy eating practices, we can take proactive steps in safeguarding our long-term health.”