Getting a moderate amount of plant substances called flavonoids through food may be linked to a lower stomach cancer risk in women - but not in men, according to a European study.
The researchers, writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that women with the highest intake of flavonoids were half as likely to develop the disease as women who had the smallest intake.
"A flavonoid-rich diet is based on plant-based foods (such as) fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, nuts, legumes, and their derived products (tea, chocolate, wine)," lead author Raul Zamora-Ros told Reuters Health by email.
"This kind of diet combined with less consumption of red and processed meat can be a good way to reduce the risk of developing stomach cancer," added Zamora-Ros, a researcher at the Catalan Institute of Oncology in Spain.
The findings don't prove that flavonoids alone can ward off the disease, because other factors such as a healthier lifestyle may play a role.
The researchers not that past research has hinted that flavonoids may help protect against cancer, but few studies have focused on stomach cancer - the fourth most common, and the second most deadly, according to Zamora-Ros.
For the study, the researchers turned to ongoing research following almost 500,000 men and women in 10 European countries. All of the participants were between 35 and 70 years old, and had been part of the study for about 11 years.
29/10/2012 : Reuters.
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