In India, we are still in awe of scientists, doctors and researchers. In a way I am glad, because Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a grouping of the top and most respected physicians and researchers in the world and they bring out a monthly listing of the research on diet and disease that is being published all over the world. Many of these studies are a ‘study of studies’ which means that they take hundreds of studies and make a composite study of them. I have simply reproduced their findings in this article.

Harmful dairy

Dairy products increase the risk for ovarian cancer among African-American women, according to a study published in the British Journal of Cancer. Researchers followed 1,146 women with and without cancer from the African American Cancer Epidemiology Study and monitored consumption of dairy products, lactose, calcium, and vitamin D and cancer incidence rates. Those with the highest intake of whole milk and lactose increased their risk for ovarian cancer, compared with those who consumed the least, while those who consumed the most calcium decreased their risk for cancer by 49 percent.

Fats specific to animal products increase the risk for type 2 diabetes, according to research presented at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD). Researchers followed the consumption of various types of omega-3 and omega-6 fats in the diets of 71,334 women and tracked diabetes incidence rates. Those who consumed the most fats increased their risk for diabetes by 26 percent, when compared to those who consumed the least. Specifically, omega-3 docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and omega-6 arachidonic acid (AA), both of which are mostly found in meat, fish, and eggs, almost doubled the risk for type 2 diabetes, and, when controlling for weight, by as much as 41 and 49 percent, respectively.

Removing dairy products from your diet may lower your risk of certain cancers, according to a study published online in the British Journal of Cancer. Researchers followed 22,788 lactose intolerant participants from Sweden. They also monitored cancer rates of their immediate family members. The incidence rates for lung, breast, and ovarian cancers decreased among the lactose intolerant. Family members, and the general Swedish population who included dairy in their diet, did not experience the same reduction in cancer risk. Researchers suspect the avoidance of high amounts of saturated fat and hormones found in dairy products may account for the decreased risk.

Deadly meat

Red and processed meats increase risk for heart disease, cancer, and other chronic illnesses, according to a review published in the Journal of Internal Medicine. Researchers examined the correlation between disease risk and meat consumption in six cohort studies. Consumption of 100 grams of red meat per day increased the risk for stroke and for breast cancer, death from heart disease, colorectal cancer, and advanced prostate cancer, by 11, 15, 17, and 19 percent, respectively. At 50 grams per day, processed meats increased the risk for several chronic diseases including colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, death from heart disease, and diabetes by 18, 19, 24, and 32, respectively.

High fruit and vegetable intake will not counterbalance the increased risk for heart disease caused by eating meat, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers followed 74,645 participants from the Swedish Mammography Cohort and the Cohort of Swedish Men studies and monitored diet and mortality due to heart disease. Those who consumed the highest amounts of red meat increased their risk of dying from heart disease by 29 percent, when compared to those who consumed the least. The risks remained consistent when coupled with various fruit and vegetable intakes. High fruit and vegetable intake could not prevent meat-related deaths.

Red meat intake during childhood also leads to earlier onset of puberty in adolescent girls, according to a study published online in the Journal of Nutrition. High levels of iron and zinc, heterocyclic amines, and hormones found in red meat may alert the body to begin puberty earlier. Researchers stress that earlier menarche negatively affects risk for breast cancer, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic conditions later in life.

Sugar and copper

People with diabetes, looking for a more powerful treatment, should consider a plant-based diet, according to a team of American and Japanese researchers. Combining the results of six prior studies, the researchers found that a plant-based diet significantly improves blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes. Earlier studies had shown that plant-based diets could improve a key indicator of blood sugar control, called haemoglobin A1c, as much as 1.2 points, which is far greater than the effect of typical oral diabetes medicines. The new study is a meta-analysis, widely considered the highest level of scientific evidence. Focusing on longer-term effects and combining the results of all available studies, the benefit of leaving out meat, cheese, and eggs was as much as 0.7 points in some studies, and averaged about 0.4 points overall. Most of the studies did not

require participants to reduce their calorie or carbohydrate intake. The American Diabetes Association’s Clinical Practice Recommendations have cited the value of vegan diets for type 2 diabetes for several years. The new study is published in Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Therapy.

Copper in foods increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study published by the American Neurological Association. Researchers analysed several potential risk factors, including age, copper levels, blood pressure, and lipid levels, of 141 participants who had mild cognitive impairment at the start of the study. The only factor that showed a significant increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease was copper intake. Those with the highest levels of copper were three times as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease within 4 years of follow-up, compared with those who had the lowest levels of copper. Copper is found at especially high levels in liver and shellfish. The authors note that while the metals, copper, iron, and zinc, are essential for life, in excess they can be dangerous for Alzheimer’s risk.

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