Go Green, Live Longer? Vegetarian Diet Linked to Lower Cancer Risk
Good news for plant-lovers: A new study suggests that embracing a vegetarian lifestyle could significantly cut your risk of getting cancer. Published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the research, part of The Adventist Health Study, found that people who eat vegetarian had a noticeably lower risk of all cancers combined, as well as a specific group of common cancers.
The study involved a large group of nearly 80,000 people from the US and Canada who were members of the Seventh-day Adventist church. Participants filled out detailed questionnaires about their eating habits over the past year. The study group was quite diverse, with a good representation of different ethnicities and genders.
Cutting Your Cancer Risk: The Vegetarian Advantage
The study showed a clear difference: vegetarians faced a 12% lower risk for all cancers compared to meat-eaters. For a group of "medium-frequency" cancers (those that occur somewhat commonly), the risk dropped even further, by 18%. These numbers strongly suggest that what you eat can play a big role in protecting you from cancer.
Specific Cancers Where a Vegetarian Diet May Help
The research highlighted some specific cancer types where vegetarians saw significant benefits:
Stomach Cancer: A 45% lower risk.
Lymphoma: A 25% lower risk.
Lymphoproliferative disorder (a type of blood cancer): Also a 25% lower risk.
Colorectal Cancers: A 21% lower risk.
These findings suggest that a plant-based diet might offer protection against a variety of cancers, not just one or two.
The study didn't just look at "vegetarians" as one group. It also examined different plant-based eating styles and found similar benefits:
Vegans (who eat no animal products at all) saw the biggest overall benefit, with a 24% lower cancer risk.
Lacto-ovo-vegetarians (who eat dairy and eggs) had a 9% lower risk.
Pesco-vegetarians (who include fish in their diet) experienced an 11% lower risk.
This suggests that even if you're not ready to go fully vegan, cutting down on meat and adding more plant-based foods can still offer significant health advantages.
Age and Diet: A Closer Look
The study also explored how your age might influence the connection between your diet and cancer risk. For example:
Prostate cancer risk was much lower for younger vegans, but this benefit wasn't seen in older vegans.
Breast cancer risk was reduced in younger vegans, with a similar trend for older vegans.
Lymphoma was less common in older vegans and in both younger and older lacto-ovo-vegetarians.
Colorectal cancers were less common in pesco-vegetarians and potentially in lacto-ovo-vegetarians.
These detailed findings hint that the protective effects of a vegetarian diet might vary depending on your age and the specific type of cancer.
Dr. Gary E. Fraser, a leading professor at Loma Linda University and one of the study's authors, called these findings "relatively unique" and "possibly the most robust" data available for cancers like stomach cancer and lymphoma. He also mentioned that the study hinted at lower risks for other cancers, such as lung, ovarian, and pancreatic, although more research is needed to confirm these links.
The Bottom Line
In short, the study authors concluded that "modest reductions in risk of both total and medium frequency cancers among vegetarians were evident, and this was true for vegans, lacto-ovo-vegetarians, and pesco-vegetarians." While the results varied for individual cancers, the overall message is clear: eating more plants and less meat appears to be a smart move for lowering your cancer risk.
Source: Cancer Network | June 28, 2025