Guidelines Dietary - Eat For Health

equired to produce health benefits, long-term efficacy, and the relative effect of legume foods, including ofsoy-based foods themselves, as opposed to food components such as isoflavones.Cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and excess weight• Cardiovascular disease: Recent evidence suggests that consumption of soy foods is associated with reducedtotal cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, as markers for coronary heart disease risk (Grade C; EvidenceReport, Section 7.4). 392• Type 2 diabetes: No recent studies of the relationship between legumes/beans and type 2 diabetes were identified.• Excess weight: No recent studies of the relationship between legumes/beans and weight loss were identified. 393-395Cancer• Colorectal cancer: Evidence suggests that consuming legumes is associated with reduced risk of colorectalcancer (Grade C; Evidence Report, Section 7.3). 396-400 However, in one study the effect was only significantfor women, 399 as also seen in the recent analysis of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer andNutrition (EPIC) database. 401 However no evidence of an association between consumption of legumes andcolorectal cancer was described in the WCRF report (see Appendix F). 43Guideline 2• Other cancers: Recent evidence is limited and/or inconclusive for an association regarding legume/beanconsumption and breast or prostate cancer (Evidence Report, Sections 7.1 and 7.2). Similar limited associationshave been described in the WCRF report (see Appendix F). 43 An insufficient number of studies were availableto form an evidence statement on legume/bean consumption and gastric cancer. However the WCRF reportfound limited evidence of a relationship between the consumption of legumes and a decreased risk of gastriccancer (see Appendix F). 43Other conditionsRecent evidence is limited and/or inconclusive regarding an association between consumption of soy foods andbone fracture in post-menopausal women, cerebral and myocardial infarction, and mortality due to cardiovasculardisease and hypertension.2.2.4 The evidence for consuming ‘fruit’Evidence for the health advantages of including fruit in the diet has been strong for decades, but has strengthenedconsiderably recently, particularly for cardiovascular disease. There is also increasing evidence of a protectiveeffect against a number of chronic diseases for consumption of vegetables and fruit when considered together(see Appendix J). Protective effects are increasingly described in quantitative terms, although different serve sizeshave been used in different studies, which make comparison difficult, while findings about dose response are notalways consistent across studies.Table 2.4: Evidence statements for consuming ‘fruit’Evidence statementConsumption of each additional daily serve of fruit is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease.Consumption of at least one and a half serves of fruit a day, ideally two and a half or more, is associated withreduced risk of stroke.Consumption of fruit is associated with a reduced risk of obesity and weight gain.Consumption of fruit is associated with a reduced risk of oral and nasopharyngeal cancerGradeBBCCNotes: 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.Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foodsNational Health and Medical Research Council39