health
February 28, 2026
Vegetarians have ‘substantially lower risk’ of five types of cancer
Study shows lower risk for multiple myeloma as well as pancreatic, prostate, breast and kidney cancers
TL;DR
- Vegetarians had a 21% lower risk of pancreatic cancer, 12% lower risk of prostate cancer, and 9% lower risk of breast cancer compared to meat eaters.
- Vegetarians also showed a 28% lower risk of kidney cancer and a 31% lower risk of multiple myeloma.
- Conversely, vegetarians had nearly double the risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, possibly due to nutrient deficiencies like B vitamins.
- Vegans had a 40% higher risk of bowel cancer, potentially linked to lower calcium intake.
- Pescatarians had lower risks of breast, kidney, and bowel cancers; poultry eaters had a lower risk of prostate cancer.
- The study analyzed data from over 1.8 million people tracked for an average of 16 years.
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