By Oluwasola Samuel, Freelance Health writer. With medical review by the DLHA Team.
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When it comes to serious health issues like prostate cancer, people often wonder if their everyday choices like what they eat can truly keep it at bay or aid it’s healing.
A recent research from experts at Johns Hopkins University in the United States has revealed encouraging data showing that healthy eating can keep low-grade prostate cancer in check.
The research, published in the Journal JAMA Oncology on 17 October, 2024, provides significant proof that the quality of one’s diet has a real effect on how low-grade prostate cancer grows over time.
Let’s take a deep dive into this study to understand what it means for you or your loved ones and why African men should take note.
Why does diet make such a big difference in cancer care generally?
Researchers believe that a healthier diet may reduce inflammation in your body, which can slow or even prevent some types of cancer from growing.
By focusing on anti-inflammatory foods - think of things like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats from sources like fish or nuts—you can create an environment in your body that’s less friendly for cancer cells to thrive.
The researcher scientifically speculated that “healthier eating can decrease the likelihood of low-grade prostate cancer progressing to a more severe state. For men on active surveillance (I.e., watch and wait approach to care before undertaking treatments that could have undesired side effects or complications), this means that diet could become a powerful tool for managing their cancer with lower risks of the disease worsening, said Dr. Christian Pavlovich, a co-senior researcher for this study and a professor in urologic oncology at Johns Hopkins University.
The study tracked and analysed data from 886 men diagnosed with grade 1 prostate cancer between January 2005 and February 2017. The participants sampled include 55 Blacks (6.2%), 803 (90.6%) Whites, and 28 (3.2%) other races or ethnicities.
While there have been many theories connecting diet to prostate cancer, this study is the first to back it up with solid evidence.
The findings of this study reinforce the importance of sticking with whole, natural foods that help build a healthier body, potentially warding off the advancement of diseases like prostate cancer.
The researchers created a “Healthy Eating Index” (HEI) to measure each man’s diet quality, ranging from zero to 100. The index was based on how well their diets aligned with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
For every 12.5 point increase on the health eating scale, the study found a 15% reduction in the risk of the cancer advancing and 30% less likely to advance to a more dangerous stage.
The HEI is a true measure of individual dietary patterns and how they adhere to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans.” said Dr. Zhuo Tony Su, the lead researcher.
After an average follow-up period of 6.5 years tracking the 886 men with low-grade prostate cancer, here are what the researchers found:
“The higher the dietary quality scores, the more reduced the risk that low-grade prostate cancer had progressed to a higher grade that mandated curative treatment,” said co-senior study author Dr. Bruce Trock, a professor of urology, epidemiology, and oncology at Hopkins.
This means that a healthier diet didn't just keep those with a higher dietary quality score healthy overall; it specifically helped limit their prostate cancer from advancing to a stage where invasive treatment would be required.
The Hopkins study emphasises the importance of healthy eating for improving and limiting the progress of prostate cancer.
For African men, this means that they should embrace healthy eating to improve, control, or limit prostate cancer, if they were to have it, from advancing to a more aggressive stage where invasive treatment might be the last resort of treatment.
Because eating healthy may seem difficult or expensive for many Africans, they readily eat cheap and unhealthy foods that are filling and high in fat and sugar.
The sad truth is that high-fat or high-sugar food harms your body more than they offer any nutritional value. Healthy local or traditional foods like beans, lentils, leafy greens, fresh fish, and whole grains are better and not so expensive alternatives. These local foods meet healthy eating standards that reduce inflammation, improve prostate cancer, and your overall health.
In order to make healthy eating a habit, you should work with your healthcare provide like a nutritionist or dietician to create dietary recipes and meal plans that are within your budget and lifestyle. This would help you to make healthy eating a sustainable habit.
For African men and women reading this report, it’s of utmost significance to know that something as little as what you put on your plate could have a real impact on cancer care. If you or a loved one is diagnosed with prostate cancer, consider adopting healthy diet habits today. It’s not only about managing cancer; it’s about embracing a lifestyle that supports longevity and vitality.
However, the researchers are careful to say that while their findings look promising, more studies are needed to confirm them across diverse populations like Africans, who are often at higher risk of prostate cancer. Until then, these findings provide a hopeful message that, along with regular checkups, healthy eating could be a way for men to control prostate cancer.
Today is an opportunity for you to start making wise health changes that can improve your overall health.
Source: Johns Hopkins Medicines Newsroom
Related:
Prostate Cancer in African Men: Symptoms, Causes, and Risk Factors
Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment: An Explainer for Africans
Published: November 3, 2024
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