Vegetarians Have ‘Substantially Lower' Risk Of Developing 5 Types Of Cancer, Says Study

Vegetarians have “substantially lower” risk of five common types of cancer, according to a landmark new study on health and diet.

The study found that vegetarians had a 31 percent lower risk of multiple myeloma, 28 percent lower risk of kidney cancer, 21 percent lower risk of pancreatic cancer, a 12 percent lower risk of prostate cancer, and a nine percent lower risk of breast cancer.

The British Journal of Cancer (BJC) published the study, which is titled “Vegetarian diets and cancer risk,” on Friday last week. Researchers from Oxford Population Health’s Cancer Epidemiology Unit led the study with backing from the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), which supports scientific research into cancer risk and diet.

“This study is really good news for those who follow a vegetarian diet because they have a lower risk of five cancer types, some of which are very prevalent in the population,” said Dr Aurora Pérez-Cornago, a senior Nutritional Epidemiologist, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford, and the study’s lead investigator.

The study is the largest of its kind and used data from more than 1.8 million people in nine cohorts, including the UK, US, Taiwan, and India, over an average of 16 years. It investigated 17 different cancers overall, including blood and gastrointestinal cancers.

‘Our advice is to build meals around wholegrains, pulses, fruit and vegetables’

While the study found that vegetarian diets reduced the risk of five major types of cancer, it also found that vegetarian participants had nearly double the risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus, and that vegans had a 40 percent higher risk of bowel cancer, the fourth most common cancer in the UK.

The authors suggested that some of these results might be linked to lower intakes of specific nutrients amongst certain vegetarian populations included in the study.

For example, inadequate calcium intake can potentially increase the risk of colorectal cancer, while vitamin B2 deficiency can contribute to an elevated risk of developing oesophageal cancer. However, these links remain hypotheses, not causes.

For other cancers, the study found no evidence that vegans were at a higher or lower risk compared to meat-eaters. The study acknowledged that there were too few vegan cases to analyse for less common cancers, and noted that additional research on vegan populations is required to confirm the study’s results.

Plant-based diets and health risks

Photo shows a large, colorful spread of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds — Adobe Stock Studies indicate that diets rich in nutrient-dense plant-based whole foods support positive health outcomes

In a statement sent to Plant Based News (PBN), The Vegan Society highlighted that the increased risk of oesophageal cancer in the paper was based on just 31 cases across three studies. The study’s participants were notably recruited in the 1990s and early 2000s, during a period when fewer plant-based foods were fortified.

At the time, general awareness of micronutrient supplementation was significantly lower, and consumption of processed meat products was less common among meat-eaters.

“Vegans should not feel pressured to change their diet based on these early findings, as there are significant limitations in the research,” Claire Ogley, the head of campaigns, policy, and research at The Vegan Society, said.

“We encourage vegans to follow a well-planned diet rich in fruits, vegetables, pulses, wholegrains, nuts and seeds, with appropriate supplementation. These foods are consistently shown to support good health and reduce the risk of several cancers.”

Plant-based diets and positive health outcomes

In January of this year, Dr Shireen Kassam, a British haematologist, physician, and the founder of Plant-Based Health Professionals UK, summarized some of the key science papers of 2025 that support plant-based diets for better health.

One study from last year found that plant-based diets may cut the risk of certain cancers by up to 25 percent. Another study, also from 2025, found that regular chicken consumption could double the risk of dying from gastrointestinal cancer.

In 2024, a study found that plant-based diets could potentially slow the progression of prostate cancer, while another discovered a “critical link” between the overconsumption of red meat and an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Dr Helen Croker, the assistant director of research and policy at WCRF, the charity that funded the new study, said, “To increase your overall protection from cancer, our advice is to build meals around wholegrains, pulses, fruit and vegetables, and avoid processed meat and limit red meat.”