Maintaining a healthy weight has long been linked to a reduced risk of cancer. However, a new study reveals that the Mediterranean diet, a widely praised eating pattern for its weight-loss benefits offers more. Researchers found that this diet helps lower the risk of certain cancers associated with obesity, and interestingly, it’s not just the weight loss that’s making the difference.
In the latest large-scale study involving more than 4,00,000 participants, researchers noted that greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet offered a 6% reduction in the risk of obesity-related cancers such as breast cancer, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic, liver, and kidney cancers compared to people with lowest adherence.
The results published in the journal Jama Network Open suggested that high adherence to the diet was associated with up to a 48% lower risk of site-specific obesity-related cancers. Specifically, the risk of colorectal cancer was reduced by 8%, hepatocellular carcinoma by 48%, and kidney cancer by 33%.
Medium adherence to the diet also showed notable benefits, with a 34% reduced risk of colorectal cancer, a 33% lower risk of kidney cancer, a 48% reduced risk of liver cancer, and a 34% reduction in esophageal cancer risk.
The researchers noted that the Mediterranean diet’s link to reduced obesity-related cancer risk is not just due to reduced adiposity measures such as lower BMI and waist-to-hip ratio. It involves possible other mechanisms such as reduced inflammation and improved metabolic health. However, more research is required to understand the exact mechanisms by which the cancer risk is reduced.
“This was somewhat surprising. Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet was associated with lower obesity-related cancer risk regardless of BMI (body mass index) or fat distribution. This suggests that other mechanisms — such as reduced inflammation, improved metabolic health, or dietary interactions with the microbiome — may be responsible for the protective effects,” first author Inmaculada Aguilera-Buenosvinos told CNN.
Based on the study findings, Aguilera-Buenosvinos suggests that promoting adherence to the Mediterranean diet could serve as an effective, low-cost, and sustainable cancer prevention strategy. “Even a small reduction in risk at the individual level can translate into thousands of preventable cancer cases when applied at the population level,” Aguilera-Buenosvinos said.
