2026-02-27 14:27:42

Going on a vegetarian diet may cut an individual’s cancer risk.

A major study led by researchers at University of Oxford has found that vegetarians could reduce their risk of five different cancers by as much as 30 per cent.

The research, published in the British Journal of Cancer, analysed data from a whopping 1.64 million meat eaters (no red meat), alongside 63,147 vegetarians, 57,016 poultry eaters, 42,910 pescatarians, and 8,849 vegans.

Vegetarians were found to have a 21 per cent lower risk of pancreatic cancer and a 9 per cent lower risk of breast cancer compared to meat eaters.

They also had a 12 per cent reduced risk of prostate cancer, a 28 per cent lower risk of kidney cancer and a striking 31 per cent lower risk of multiple myeloma – a type of blood cancer.

The study’s lead researcher Aurora Perez Cornago, from Oxford Population Health, said: “”Vegetarians typically consume more fruit, vegetables and fibre than meat eaters and no processed meat, which may contribute to lower risks of some cancers.”

She added: “The higher risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma in vegetarians and bowel cancer in vegans may relate to lower intakes of certain nutrients more abundant in animal foods.

“Additional research is needed to understand what is driving the differences in cancer risk found in our study.”

However, vegetarians were found to have nearly double the risk of the most common type of oesophageal cancer compared to meat eaters.

Meanwhile, vegans showed a higher risk of bowel cancer – though researchers stressed only 93 cases were recorded in the vegan group, meaning more research is needed.

Experts said the differences in risk were “not very big”, and it remains unclear whether meat itself raises cancer risk or if something in vegetarian diets offers protection.

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