Research

Mixed

Suboptimal dietary intake (specifically low whole grains, low dairy, and high processed meats) is directly associated with approximately 80,110 new cancer cases annually in US adults, representing 5.2% of all invasive cancers.

Focus on increasing whole grain and dairy consumption while reducing processed meat intake. This specific dietary shift is estimated to prevent a substantial number of cancer cases annually, particularly colorectal cancer. Prioritize whole grains (3 servings/day) and limit processed meats to less than 0.5 oz/day.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
In 2015, an estimated 80 110 (95% UI ¼ 76 316 to 83 657) new cancer cases were associated with suboptimal intake of seven dietary factors including low intake of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains and high intake of processed meats, red meats, total dairy products, and SSB, accounting for 5.2% (95% UI ¼ 5.0% to 5.5%) of all invasive cancers among US adults ages 20 years or older
Fang Fang Zhang et al. · JNCI Cancer Spectrum · 2019

Why this rating

Uses nationally representative data (NHANES) and robust comparative risk assessment models with prospective cohort meta-analyses.

Source

Preventable Cancer Burden Associated With Poor Diet in the United States

Fang Fang Zhang et al. · JNCI Cancer Spectrum · 2019

DOI 10.1093/jncics/pkz034

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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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