Guidelines Dietary - Eat For Health

• Prostate cancer: The evidence suggests that consumption of one to two serves of tomatoes a day isassociated with reduced risk of prostate cancer (Grade C; Evidence Report, Section 2.13). 382,383 This isconsistent with the probable relationship between intake of lycopene-containing foods and probable reducedrisk of prostate cancer described by the WCRF report (see Appendix F). 43• Endometrial, ovarian and pancreatic cancer: The 2003 edition of the dietary guidelines reported a possiblereduction in risk of endometrial and pancreatic cancer with vegetable consumption. 36 However, in more recentstudies there is no evidence to suggest an association between total vegetable consumption and ovarian(Grade C; Evidence Report, Section 2.11) 384,385 or endometrial cancer (Grade C; Evidence Report, Section2.12). 386-388 However, findings from the WCRF report suggest decreased risk of both ovarian and endometrialcancer with consumption of non-starchy vegetables specifically (see Appendix F). 43Guideline 2• Colorectal cancer: The evidence suggests no association between consumption of green leafy, cruciferousvegetables, or carrots, potatoes, beans or lentils and risk of colorectal cancer (Grade C; Evidence Report,Section 2.15). 389 More specific studies suggest that consumption of more than one serve per week of spinachis associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer (Grade C; Evidence Report, Section 2.15) 389 and evidenceof a suggestive protective effect of intake of non-starchy vegetables on colorectal cancer has been described inthe WCRF report (see Appendix F). 43• Lung cancer: Recent evidence 390 suggests consuming cruciferous vegetables is associated with reducedrisk of lung cancer (Grade C; Evidence Report, Section 2.14). The WCRF report found evidence of a probableassociation with the reduced risk of lung cancer and consumption of vegetables containing carotenoids andalso found evidence suggesting that non-starchy vegetables were protective of lung cancer (see Appendix F). 43This supports the notion that different types of vegetables may have different effects which may help to explainconflicting results seen when all vegetables are grouped together in varying proportions in different studies.• Other cancers: Recent evidence is limited and/or inconclusive for the association regarding other types ofvegetable consumption and gastric, breast, lung and colorectal cancers (Evidence Report, Sections 2.5, 2.6,2.7 and 2.8).Other conditionsThe 2003 edition of the dietary guidelines included evidence of associations between the consumption ofvegetables and some aspects of eye health, including cataracts and macular degeneration. 36 Further evidencewas not available from more recent studies. 3912.2.3 The evidence for consuming ‘plenty of legumes/beans’While evidence of the health benefits of consumption of legumes/beans appears to have strengthened since the2003 edition of the dietary guidelines, the recent research is dominated by studies into the health benefits of soyfoods and products rather than investigations into legumes per se. 1Table 2.3: Evidence statements for consuming ‘plenty of legumes/beans’Evidence statementConsumption of soy foods is associated with reduced total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.Consumption of legume foods is associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer.GradeCCNotes: Grades — A: convincing association, B: probable association, C: suggestive associationIncludes evidence statements and gradings from the Evidence Report (literature from years 2002–2009). Does not include evidence fromother sources, such as the 2003 edition of the dietary guidelines (in which individual studies were classified according to their design aslevel I, II or III but overall grades for relationships were not derived), although these sources have been used to inform these Guidelines.Grade C evidence statements showing no association and all Grade D statements can be found in Appendix E.Recent evidence confirms a protective effect for consumption of legumes, and particularly soy foods, againstseveral risk factors and diseases. However more research is needed to determine the quantities of legume/beans1 The evidence presented here was reviewed with a focus on whole foods, and for this reason studies of soy isolatesare not reported.38EAT FOR HEALTH – australian dietary guidelinesNational Health and Medical Research Council