A Comparative Study of the Efficacy of Different Diet Plans in Reducing Cancer Risk

Recent research suggests that cutting back on meat consumption could help decrease cancer risks. How do various diet plans compare?

Methods

Two independent reviewers independently collected information on populations, interventions and outcomes. Risk of bias was assessed before employing a Bayesian framework to conduct several random effects network meta-analyses.

Flexitarian Diet

Flexitarian diets are increasingly popular for those looking to reduce their meat consumption without going fully vegetarian or vegan. This diet emphasizes eating predominantly plant-based foods while occasionally including small portions of meat as a source of nourishment.

Flexitarian diets may help you shed excess pounds while enjoying all your favorite dishes. But it is important to carefully monitor calorie consumption as this type of eating plan can be high in caloric intake if not managed carefully.

This diet can also enhance heart and metabolic health by lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and decreasing your risk of type 2 diabetes by decreasing insulin resistance.

Flexitarian diets may not be appropriate for those who suffer from food allergies or intolerances, as it can lead to nutritional deficiencies. For instance, it’s essential that enough plant-based proteins like beans and nuts as well as iron and zinc are consumed on a daily basis for adequate health benefits. Incorporating omega-3 rich fish such as salmon into your diet to ensure adequate omega-3 intake.

Vegetarian Diet

Vegetarians who follow a low-fat vegan diet appear to have lower risks of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, cancer and obesity. Vegetarians tend to have higher HDL cholesterol levels with reduced triglyceride levels as well as improved insulin sensitivity than their meat-eating counterparts.

Vegetarian diets may be challenging to stick to without careful planning, so the key is eating a variety of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables as well as nuts and seeds to get all of the necessary vitamins and minerals, including protein (which can only be found in dairy products or eggs), vitamin B12, iron and calcium.

Study results revealed that healthy twins who followed a vegetarian diet for eight weeks showed lower “bad” LDL cholesterol and improved their blood sugar levels, when compared with their counterparts who consumed an omnivorous diet; however, due to its small scale nature other factors could have had an influence in these results.

Pescatarian Diet

Pescatarian diets are plant-based eating plans that eliminate all food containing red meat or poultry for various reasons, from environmental sustainability to ethical considerations. People choose this lifestyle for various reasons such as ethical beliefs or environmental considerations.

Eating pescatarian can result in better health outcomes, including reducing obesity risks and chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Omega-3 fatty acids present in this diet help reduce inflammation while simultaneously improving mental wellbeing.

Seafood is an excellent source of protein and essential dietary elements such as B12, iodine and zinc that support muscle growth and repair.

If you opt for pescatarianism, it is crucial that the seafood you consume comes from reliable sources in order to minimise environmental impact and obtain high-quality, contaminant-free food. Supplementing with fish oil capsules may also ensure adequate omega-3 fatty acid intake.

Vegan Diet

Though vegan diets may be healthful, it can be challenging to obtain adequate protein without animal products. Protein is composed of smaller building blocks called amino acids. While non-essential amino acids can be produced naturally by our bodies, essential amino acids must be consumed. Unfortunately, only certain plant foods (like soybean products, quinoa and amaranth seeds) contain all essential amino acids necessary for good health.

Vegan diets may leave people lacking essential nutrients. A diet low in meat and fish, for instance, can leave people deficient in iron, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, vitamin B12 and iodine – with studies finding children on vegetarian and vegan diets having lower bone mineral density due to lower calcium, iodine and vitamin D intakes than their omnivorous peers. Another study demonstrated mothers adhering strictly to this lifestyle having an increased risk of giving birth prematurely than mothers on traditional omnivorous diets. Additionally, mothers adhering strictly vegan diets had increased risks of giving birth prematurely than mothers on conventional omnivorous diets due to lower intakes of calcium iodine and vitamin D intakes from reduced consumption of these nutrients from food sources like vegetables & fruit etc.