V javnosti se veliko govori o dejavnikih, ki negativno vplivajo na človekovo zdravje. Na nekatere, kot je na primer genetska nagnjenost k nekaterim boleznim, nimamo vpliva. Na druge pa lahko bistveno vplivamo s svojimi odločitvami. Odrečemo se lahko, na primer, škodljivemu kajenju. Osveščenost glede posledic kajenja je danes na Zahodu dokaj visoka. Težko bi namreč našli človeka, ki bi trdil, da kajenje ni škodljivo ali da je celo koristno.
Med zdravju škodljivimi dejavniki, na katere lahko vsakdo pomembno vpliva, je tudi prehrana. Tu pa je osveščenost ljudi veliko manjša.
Zadnje čase narašča število znanstvenih raziskav, ki skušajo opredeliti rizična živila v naši prehrani. In v veliki večini raziskav se kot najbolj rizično živilo znova in znova pojavlja meso.
Zato sta World Cancer Research Fund in American Institute for Cancer Research, ki v svetovnem merilu sodita med največje in najuglednejše ustanove na področju raziskovanja raka, v svojih priporočilih navedla, da obstaja "prepričljiva povezava med rdečim mesom, mesnimi izdelki in rakom debelega črevesa in danke". Njuni strokovnjaki pravijo, da je povezava med mesom in rakom po zaslugi novejših raziskav veliko močnejša kot je bila pred kakšnim desetletjem. Navajajo tudi, da raziskave kažejo na povezavo med prehranjevanjem z mesom in rakom prostate, pljuč, požiralnika, želodca in trebušne slinavke.
Omenjeni ustanovi sta objavili tudi zanimiv podatek, da je v ZDA osveščenost ljudi o povezavi med mesom in rakom le 35-odstotna. (V Sloveniji je ta odstotek verjetno še manjši, saj marsikdo domneva, da je meso vir zdravja).
Raziskave v ZDA - Havaji
V raziskavi, opravljeni na Havajih, so opazovali prek 20.000 moških v petletnem obdobju. Odkrili so močno povezavo med rakom prostate in uživanjem govedine (tveganje se poveča za 60%) ter skupno količino zaužitih maščob živalskega izvora (tveganje se poveča za 60%). Kajenje in uživanje alkohola ni vplivalo na pojavnost raka prostate.
Animal fat consumption and prostate cancer: a prospective study in Hawaii, Le Marchand L, Kolonel LN, Wilkens LR, Myers BC, Hirohata T, Epidemiology 1994 May;5(3):271-3.
Animal fat consumption and prostate cancer: a prospective study in Hawaii.
Le Marchand L, Kolonel LN, Wilkens LR, Myers BC, Hirohata T.
[b
]Epidemiology Program, Cancer Research Center, University of Hawaii, Honolulu 96813.
Epidemiology. 1994 May;5(3):271-3.
Abstract: Whereas case-control studies have been very consistent in suggesting a positive association between intake of dietary fat, especially animal fat, and prostate cancer, the results from past cohort studies have been mostly inconclusive. In this study, we evaluated consumption of high fat animal products, raw vegetables, and fresh fruits, as well as obesity, smoking, and drinking, in relation to subsequent occurrence of prostate cancer. We studied a cohort of 20,316 men of various ethnicities interviewed between 1975 and 1980 in Hawaii. As of December 1989, 198 incident cases with invasive prostate cancer were identified by computer assisted linkage of this cohort to the statewide Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry. Relative risks (RRs) for prostate cancer computed by proportional hazards regression were elevated for intake of beef [RR for highest to lowest tertile of intake = 1.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1-2.4] and milk (RR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.0-2.1), and for a summary variable for intake of high-far animal products (RR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.0-2.4). Weight was not consistently associated with prostate cancer, but there was an association with height (>167 cm) (RR = 1.8; 95% CI = 1.0-3.2 for the third and fourth quartiles relative to the lowest quartile in height). These associations were stronger in men diagnosed before age 72.5 years. The risk estimates for raw vegetable and fresh fruit intakes were close to 1.0. Smoking and alcohol drinking appeared to be unrelated to risk. This study provides further evidence for a role of animal fat in the etiology of prostate cancer and indicates that it may act by shortening the latency period of the disease.
Document Type: Article
Language: English
Reprint Address: LEMARCHAND, L (reprint author), UNIV HAWAII, CANC RES CTR, PROGRAM EPIDEMIOL, 1236 LAUHALA ST, HONOLULU, HI 96813 USA
Publisher: WILLIAMS & WILKINS, 351 WEST CAMDEN ST, BALTIMORE, MD 21201-2436
Subject Category: Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
IDS Number: NJ910
ISSN: 1044-3983
