Posted on
August 29, 2025 by
The VRG Weblog Editor
by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD
A latest examine examined the affiliation between a vegetarian food regimen, as in comparison with a nonvegetarian food regimen, and the danger of several types of most cancers. This examine included virtually 80,000 Seventh-day Adventists dwelling in america and Canada and was half of a bigger examine referred to as the Adventist Well being Examine-2 (AHS-2). Examine topics accomplished in depth questionnaires about their meals decisions and their well being. They had been adopted for a mean of seven.9 years. Throughout that point, data had been stored of all new cancers that had been recognized in examine individuals primarily based on state most cancers registries and medical data.
The researchers used the individuals’ dietary data to categorize individuals as vegans (consumed any animal product lower than as soon as a month), lacto-ovo vegetarians (no flesh meals; consumed dairy and/or eggs as soon as a month or extra), pesco-vegetarians (much like lacto-ovo vegetarians however ate fish as soon as a month or extra), semi-vegetarians (ate flesh meals lower than as soon as every week however no less than as soon as a month), and nonvegetarians. For this examine, the “vegetarian” group included vegans, lacto-ovo vegetarians, and pesco-vegetarians.
In comparison with similar-aged nonvegetarians, youthful vegans had a decrease danger of each breast most cancers and prostate most cancers. Each youthful and older vegans had a decrease danger of lymphomas (cancers of the lymphatic system).
“Vegetarians” had a decrease danger of most cancers basically in addition to a decrease danger of abdomen most cancers, colorectal most cancers, and lymphoma in comparison with nonvegetarians. There was a chance that “vegetarians” additionally had a lowered danger of pancreatic, lung, and ovarian most cancers however the examine was not massive sufficient to make definitive conclusions about these sorts of most cancers. Not each sort of most cancers seems to be affected by food regimen; cancers of the nervous system, the uterus, and myeloid leukemia didn’t look like related to food regimen.
The outcomes displaying a decrease danger of sure cancers in “vegetarians” and vegans are particularly fascinating once we word that the nonvegetarian comparability group, as a result of they had been Adventists, are comparatively well being acutely aware and eat low quantities of meat. Outcomes would possibly differ much more if the comparability group was consuming a extra typical American food regimen. Additionally fascinating is that there was “no clear indication” of a better danger of any most cancers within the “vegetarian” group.
Reference
Fraser GE, Butler FM, Shavlik DJ, et al. Longitudinal associations between vegetarian dietary habits and site-specific cancers within the Adventist Well being Examine-2 North American cohort. Am J Clin Nutr. 2025;122(2):535-543.
