Weight Loss And Cancer Survival Of Plant-Based Diet
In two separate studies, the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has identified benefits to a vegan diet for long-term weight loss and survival after a diagnosis of prostate cancer.
A study published in the September 2007 issue of Obesity found that women who adopted a vegan diet lost weight and kept it off. This was particularly the case where the women received group support. This study, conducted by Gabrielle Turner-McGrievy, Neal Barnard, and Anthony Scialli, examined 64 overweight, post-menopausal women, who followed either a low-fat vegan diet, or a more conventional low-fat diet. The vegan group lost a median of 11 pounds in one year, while the control group lost 4 pounds. After two years, the vegan group lost 7 pounds compared with the control group’s loss of 2 pounds.
The second study, published in the September 2007 issue of Nutrition Reviews, found that men with prostate cancer who increased consumption of vegetarian foods have an increased chance of survival. This study was conducted by examining eight observational studies and 17 interventional studies on the effect of a plant-based diet on cancer.
Conducted by Susan Berkow, it was found that diets high in saturated fat are associated with a higher risk of cancer progression and death, compared with diets that are low in saturated fat. Additionally, flaxseed and lycopene may help in the slowing of prostate cancer.