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News Topical, Digital Desk : In today's fast-paced lives, our health is becoming a priority, but did you know that your health depends largely on what we eat? Recently, scientists at Oxford University presented the largest and most surprising study to date on the link between diet and cancer. 

This study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, suggests that people who avoid meat have a significantly reduced risk of several types of cancer. Let's learn more about it.

16 years of research and 1.8 million people

For this research, scientists analyzed data from more than 1.8 million people in India, the UK, the US, and Taiwan over a period of approximately 16 years. The study included individuals ranging from meat eaters to fish eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. 

During the research, important factors like people's weight, height (BMI) and their lifestyle were also taken into full consideration.

There is less risk of these 5 types of cancer

The results of the study suggest that adopting a vegetarian diet may protect the body from several life-threatening diseases. According to the data, vegetarians had a significantly lower risk of the following cancers compared to meat eaters:

cancerReduced risk
blood cancer31% lower risk
kidney cancer28% lower risk
Pancreas cancer21% lower risk
prostate cancer12% lower risk
breast cancer9% lower risk

Better metabolism and protein play

According to studies, a vegetarian diet improves our body's metabolism. In fact, previous research has shown that vegetarians have lower levels of a specific protein in their blood, which is believed to promote kidney cancer. Adopting a vegetarian diet helps the body's internal systems function more efficiently.

The shocking truth about bowel cancer

This research also revealed a surprising finding. It's generally believed that eating meat increases the risk of colon cancer, but this study found a roughly equal risk for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Although vegans did appear to have a slightly higher risk, scientists say these results are not entirely accurate due to the small sample size.

Caution is also necessary

Lead researcher Aurora Perez Cornago also offered important advice. She says that while a vegetarian diet is beneficial, vegetarians should ensure their bodies are nutrient-deficient. If food doesn't provide the necessary nutrition, supplements can be taken on the advice of a doctor. This research proves that our diet can act as a shield against serious diseases like cancer.


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