New Zealand Vegetarian Society

Meat consumption increases the risk of bladder cancer, according to a new study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual meeting. Researchers studied the diets of 884 participants with bladder cancer and 878 controls and found that those who ate the most meat were up to 58 percent more likely to develop bladder cancer. Eating well-done meat was linked to an almost twofold increased risk of bladder cancer. Cooking meat at high temperatures produces carcinogens called heterocyclic amines. Study participants who consumed the most bacon, pork chops, fried chicken, and fried fish also had a higher risk.

Lin J, Wang JM, Grossman BH, et al. Red meat and heterocyclic amine intake, metabolic pathway genes, and bladder cancer risk. Report presented at: American Association for Cancer Research 101st Annual Meeting; April 17, 2010: Washington DC.

For information about nutrition and health, please visit www.pcrm.org/.

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An increase in childhood obesity reflects increased intake of oils, meat, cheese, and frozen desserts, according to a new PCRM study that will be published next month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Neal Barnard, M.D., looked at food availability data maintained by the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 1909 to 2007. Oil intake increased from 35 pounds to more than 86 pounds per person per year. Meat intake rose from 123 pounds to more than 200 pounds per person per year (with a greater than six fold increase in chicken and turkey intake alone). In 2007, Americans also ate nine times more cheese and 16 times more frozen desserts than they did in 1909. Since 1970 (no prior data available), sweetener consumption doubled, mostly from carbonated beverages. Other long-term trends include decreased grain consumption, decreased fluid milk consumption, and increased fruit (mostly juices) and vegetable intake.

Barnard ND. Trends in food availability, 1909-2007. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;91(suppl):1S-7S.

For information about nutrition and health, please visit www.pcrm.org/.

Breaking Medical News is a service of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine,
5100 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20016

Women with the highest fruit and vegetable intakes have better ovarian cancer survival rates than those who generally neglect these foods, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Researchers examined food patterns prior to ovarian cancer diagnosis in 341 Illinois women. They found that yellow and cruciferous vegetables, in particular, contributed to longer survival, whereas consumption of dairy products and red and processed meats shortened lifespan. The authors concluded that low-fat, plant based diets are not only beneficial for cancer prevention—they may also play a role in increasing survival time after diagnosis. Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death among women in the United States.

Dolecek TA, McCarthy BJ, Joslin CE, et al. Prediagnosis food patterns are associated with length of survival from epithelial ovarian cancer. J Am Diet Assoc. 2010;110:369-382.

For all those folk out there who like to refer to vegans and vegetarians as weak and unable to compete in physical events, etc, the attached photo and link will crush the theory.

Mr. Dusan Dudas is a strict vegan (mainly raw) and he won his category in the South Pacific Natural Bodybuilding Champs in Taupo last weekend for people over 50 years. He refers to this as an upcoming event in the blog article.

He doesn’t touch tea, coffee or alcohol either.

http://articlesofhealth.blogspot.com/2009/02/build-blood-build-muscle.html

As diabetes drugs such as Avandia are being linked to dangerous side effects, PCRM is providing evidence and education on the power of a low-fat vegan diet to treat and prevent type 2 diabetes. Last month, PCRM published diabetes studies in two major nutrition journals—and PCRM nurse practitioner Caroline Trapp was a finalist for a prestigious American Association of Diabetes Educators award.
In a 74-week clinical trial in May’s American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, study participants on a low-fat vegan diet showed dramatic improvement in four disease markers: blood sugar control, cholesterol reduction, weight control, and kidney function. The randomized, controlled trial is a milestone in diabetes research because previous studies had collected data for six months or less.

The second paper, a scientific review of observational and interventional studies appearing in May’s Nutrition Reviews, shows that vegan and vegetarian diets are consistently associated with lower rates of diabetes, heart disease, and overweight. Both studies are authored by nutrition researcher Neal Barnard, M.D., David J.A. Jenkins, M.D., Ph.D., Sc.D., and other doctors and dietitians with the Washington Center for Clinical Research, the George Washington University, and the University of Toronto.

“A low-fat vegan diet has proved its staying power as one of the most effective long-term treatments for type 2 diabetes,” says Dr. Barnard. “Study participants on the vegan diet experienced dramatic improvements during the first phase. A year later, blood sugar, cholesterol, and body weight were still at healthier levels. The vegan diet works, and people can stick with it over the long run.”

The vegan diet represents a major departure from standard diabetes diets because it places no limits on calories, carbohydrates, or portions. Participants can eat to satiety and still experience weight loss, lower cholesterol, and other benefits.

But conducting research and publishing findings on the link between diet and diabetes is just the first step in reversing diabetes rates that have climbed rapidly in recent years. PCRM also provides education—from continuing medical education credits to the Get Healthy Club message board—on these findings to help the more than 20 million Americans who have diabetes.

In recognition of education initiatives like these—and for her “contribution to diabetes education through dedication and innovation in the daily practice of patient care”—Caroline Trapp, M.S.N., C.D.E., PCRM director of diabetes education and care, was recently honored as a finalist for this year’s American Association of Diabetes Educators’ Diabetes Educator of the Year award.

To learn more about PCRM’s diabetes research and resources, visit www.PCRM.org/Diabetes.