Monday, January 13, 2020

Mediterranean diet and risk of skin cancer


The Study
In this French study, 98,995 women had their diet monitored for a period of 15 years. Each subject was given a score that reflected how well they followed a Mediterranean diet. The score was based on intakes of fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereal products, olive oil, fish, dairy products, meat products and alcohol. Women who most closely followed a Mediterranean diet had a 17% lower risk of skin cancer when compared to women who did not follow a Mediterranean diet. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2019;110:993-1002. 

Take Home Message
This is a really interesting study. It is the first I have seen that links a healthy diet to a reduced risk of skin cancer. One potential mechanism is that the Mediterranean diet contains high levels of antioxidant nutrients like beta carotene, retinol, vitamin C and E, folate and vitamin D. These antioxidants may act to reduce damage to DNA. Another potential mechanism is that subjects consuming a Mediterranean diet consume healthier fats like omega 3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fat. These fats may reduce inflammation and in turn, reduce risk of skin cancer. Either way, this study provides more evidence that a Mediterranean diet is a very healthy way to eat.

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