Do potatoes reduce stomach cancer risk?

Conclusion This systematic review has gathered and summarised the results of prospective cohort studies published to date that have examined links between specific dietary items and the risk of stomach cancer. The review has many strengths, including the large number of studies that have been reviewed and quality assessed, the large sample size, and extensive analyses carried out by individual food type. But there are various points to note when interpreting these results. The media attention focused on potatoes and how we should eat these to reduce the risk of stomach cancer – this was not a finding of this study. It presumably comes from the decreased risk found with white vegetables. However, exactly what white vegetables this included was not specified. Studies that specifically examined potatoes found no link with stomach cancer. Also, researchers weren't able to say how many white vegetables should be eaten to have a preventative effect. The researchers would expect to find this sort of link if a specific food is affecting the risk of stomach cancer. Eating lots of fruit and vitamin C were also associated with a lower risk. But, again, while researchers could say each 100g increase in fruit a day was associated with a decreased risk, no dose response was found with vitamin C. Given the varied results for fruit and vegetables – overall and by specific type – it is difficult to give specific advice, other than that the findings generally support advice ...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Cancer Food/diet QA articles Source Type: news