I read this article on ScienceDaily the other day and the headline got me – “Eating more fruits and vegetables tied to unexpected lung cancer risk.” I couldn’t wait to see it get shared all over Facebook and shows up in my inbox from a concerned family member. But… before anyone uses this to swear off broccoli, let’s actually read what the study says.
What the study actually found
Researchers at USC looked at 187 lung cancer patients under 50, most of whom had never smoked. They found these patients had higher Healthy Eating Index scores than the average American, 65 versus 57. They ate more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains than most people. That’s it. That’s the finding.
Here is the part the headline skips over. The researchers themselves don’t think the food is the problem. The lead investigator, Dr. Jorge Nieva, points to pesticides. He even mentions that agricultural workers, the people who handle pesticides daily, have higher rates of lung cancer. So the food is the carrier and the chemical residue is the suspect, and somehow we got a headline that says fruit causes cancer.
Why this study is shaky
A couple things to think about… They didn’t actually measure pesticide levels in any of the food, not a single ingredient. Instead they estimated exposure using “existing data on average pesticide levels in food categories.” 187 patients is a small group to hang a major conclusion on. This was presented at a conference, not published in a peer-reviewed journal, and yes, there is a real difference between the two. And buried at the bottom of the press release, the lead investigator discloses consulting payments from AstraZeneca and Genentech, both of whom make cancer drugs.
The researchers themselves say more research is needed. They want to do blood and urine testing next time, which is the responsible scientific position. The headline is tuned to get clicks.
What I think the real story is
If pesticides are the actual concern, and there is a fair amount of existing research suggesting they are, then the answer isn’t to stop eating produce. The answer is to think about how that produce was grown.
Buy organic when and if you can, especially for the Dirty Dozen – strawberries, spinach, kale, grapes, peaches, the usual suspects. Wash everything well. Grow what you can in your own backyard. Get to know your local farmers when you have the chance.
Don’t let a clickbait headline scare you off the very foods that have been shown, over and over again, to lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and yes, cancer. The body of evidence supporting fruits and vegetables in the diet is enormous. One small conference presentation doesn’t undo that.
Now my marketing plug, since you read this far into the article already, I’ll keep it short. You want to eat better, you won’t want to spend a lot of time planning for it, I’ve made it easy for you – Plantiful Meal. You pick your favorite meals, or try one of our recommendations. Add them all to your meal list, ingredients for all the meals are consolidated into one shopping list, print, save, or have it delivered with Instacart (already integrated). AND it’s cheap because I’m out to get people eating healthier, not maximize a profit margin.