Diet, Nutrition, and Cancer

This book is a collection of review articles written to explain current research (as of 1982) on diet and cancer. It begins with an executive summary, summarizing the research results and outlining the methodology used to write the book. Then there are several chapters explaining what cancer is and the methodology used to test whether there is evidence for dietary links to cancer. The remainder of the book is divided into 3 sections: the relationship between nutrients and cancer, in which there are separate chapters for each type of nutrient (calories, lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, alcohol), the role of nonnutritive dietary constituents (food additives, naturally occurring carcinogens, mutagens, contaminants), and patterns of diet and cancer. End material includes a glossary and an index. Sources are cited at the end of each chapter. The book is highly informative, highly readable, and it presents a no-nonsense summary of the facts. The authors, all physicians or scientists, draw exclusively on peer-reviewed scientific literature, and strive to present a balanced review of each topic. Where results of studies are inconsistent with those of other studies, they analyze what factors may have caused the differences, and whether the differences reflect uncertainty in scientific understanding or varied methodology. As these authors report, the research is clear on certain points: a diet high in calories is associated with increased cancer risk, as are diets high in fat or protein. Alcohol is a known carcinogen. Carbohydrates do not seem to be associated with either an increased or decreased cancer risk, while dietary fiber is known to lower cancer risk. Certain vitamins and minerals can also reduce cancer risk. When avoiding toxins, the consumer should keep in mind that cancer-causing chemicals are found not only in pesticide residues and additives, but can also be naturally occurring. Indeed, one of the most potent cancer-causing toxins found in the average diet is aflatoxin, a naturally occurring mycotoxin that can occur in carelessly processed peanut or corn products.