Is healthy eating a weapon against leukaemia?
Paula Goodyer
It’s not news that a healthy diet may protect against several cancers including cancer of the bowel, liver, oesophagus, lung and stomach - but now Spanish research suggests that a type of leukaemia more common in older people may join the list.
In a new study published in Haematologica, the Journal of the European Haematology Association, researchers looked at the diet, lifestyle and medical history of 369 people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and 1605 controls and found that compared to people eating a prudent diet or a Mediterranean Diet, those who relied on a Western diet high in processed meat, refined grains, sweets, high kilojoule drinks and convenience food had a higher risk of the disease.
The study found no link between a risk of CLL and factors such as BMI, kilojoule intake, tobacco use, physical activity or a family history of blood cancer.
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is the most common type of leukaemia in Australia and usually diagnosed in people over 60.
The study provides the first evidence of a link between the disease and a Western eating pattern, say the researchers, and suggests that some cases of CLL could be prevented by a healthier diet - although more research is needed to confirm the findings.