根据洛杉矶路透社报导，西雅图Fred Hutchinson癌症研究中心的研究人员，针对五十万位美国退休人员进行一项研究，发现只要在每天的饮食中多加一份水果或几份蔬菜，就能够降低形成头颈癌的风险。这项大规模的研究结果显示饮食在罹癌风险上扮演重要的角色。
癌症专家表示：大约有三分之二的癌症患者与其生活方式脱不了关系，例如：抽烟、缺乏运动或是饮食不均衡等。Alan Kristal博士说：「在这项大规模的研究结果中证实，蔬果能防癌，已不是指唱高调，而是有凭有据的事实。研究人员募集了年龄大于50岁的受试者，包括男性与女性，并持续追踪他们的饮食情况以及头颈癌的诊断记录长达5年。研究结果显示：「相较于每天仅吃1.5份蔬果的组别，每天每一千卡路里中吃6份蔬果的组别其头颈癌的风险能降低29%。
第二份饮食研究则包括了十八万三千多位的加州及夏威夷居民，结果发现吃入黄酮(flavonols)含量较高的食物，例如：洋葱、苹果、莓果、甘蓝以及花椰菜等。能降低罹患胰脏癌的风险，相较于对照组大约能降低23%的罹癌率，且对吸烟者有更明显的影响。 (资料来源 : Reuters)
英文原文链接:
Study adds data that vegetables reduce cancer risk
Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:40AM EDT
By Deena Beasley
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - New research is strengthening evidence that following mom's admonition to eat your vegetables may be some of the best health advice around.
A large study of 500,000 American retirees has found that just one extra serving of fruit or vegetables a day may reduce the risk of developing head and neck cancer.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that diet plays a role in cancer. Cancer experts now believe that up to two-thirds of all cancers come from lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet and lack of exercise.
"It may not sound like news that vegetables protect from cancer, but there is actually some controversy in the literature. It is important that we do these large studies," said Dr. Alan Kristal, associate head of the cancer prevention program at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.
Researchers at the National Cancer Institute queried men and women aged 50 and older about their diets, then followed participants for five years to record all diagnoses of head and neck cancer, which is the sixth-leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide.
Tobacco and alcohol use increase the risk of head and neck cancers, which affect the mouth, nose, sinuses and throat.
The study found eating six servings of fruit and vegetables per day per 1,000 calories cut the risk of head and neck cancer by 29 percent compared to eating one and a half servings.
The typical adult consumes around 2,000 calories a day.
"Increasing consumption by just one serving of fruit or vegetables per 1,000 calories per day was associated with a 6 percent reduction in head and neck cancer risk, said Neal Freedman, cancer prevention fellow at the NCI.
A second study of food consumption in more than 183,000 residents of California and Hawaii found that a diet high in flavonols might help reduce pancreatic cancer risk, especially in smokers.
Flavonols are common in plant-based foods but are found in highest concentrations in onions, apples, berries, kale and broccoli.
The study found that people who ate the largest amounts of flavonols had a 23 percent reduced risk of developing pancreatic cancer compared to those who ate the least.
