Greater Consumption of Organic Food Linked to Reduced Risk of Cancer

by | Nov 19, 2018 | 2018, Cancer, Pesticides and Solvents

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. In this population-based cohort study of 68,946 participating French adults, a higher frequency of organic food consumption was associated with a 34.3 % reduced risk of breast cancers, 13.4% prostate cancers, 7.4% colorectal cancers, and a 3.5% reduced risk for Non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas.

Emerging research has established a clear link between exposure to pesticides, even low doses, and risk of cancer 1,2. Greater awareness of the health consequences associated with exposure to environmental pollutants has led to a boom in the organic food market 3,4. The term “organic foods” refers to the methods used to produce foods, which specifically prohibit the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and genetically modified organisms 5. Organic foods have less pesticide residue, compared to conventionally grown produce 6, with observational and randomized controlled studies confirming an association between an organic diet and lower urinary pesticides levels 7,8. Consumption of organic food is, therefore, presumed to lower risk of cancer, however, only one study to date has investigated the link between frequency of organic food intake and probability of cancer 9. In a recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine (2018) 10, researchers sought to further explore this question by examining the association between an organic-food based diet and cancer risk in a web-based study of French volunteers.

A total of 68,946 men and women (mean age 44.2 years) participated in the population-based prospective cohort study from 2009-2016. At baseline, participants completed questionnaires assessing sociodemographic and lifestyle information, anthropometric measures, health status, physical activity, and diet. Two months following enrollment, participants provided information on the frequency of their consumption of 16 labeled organic products (fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat and fish, etc.), and an organic food score was computed based on responses. Dietary intake (all foods and beverages) was also measured using three 24-hour records which were randomly allocated over a 2-week period and nutrient intake calculated based on logs. Cancer cases were reported through a yearly health status questionnaire, which was verified by medical records provided by a study physician, and classified using the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification.

At the time of follow-up, a total of 1,340 first incident cancer cases were reported (34.3% breast, 13.4% prostate, 10.1% skin, 7.4% colorectal, 3.5% Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), 1.1% other lymphomas). After adjusting for confounding variables, high organic food scores were found to be negatively associated with the overall risk of cancer (Hazard Ratio for fourth quartile vs. first quartile = 0.75, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.63 to 0.88, p for trend = 0.001). Findings also showed a negative association between high organic food scores and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer (HR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.45 to 0.96, p for trend = 0.03), NHL (HR = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.66, p for trend = 0.049), and all other lymphomas (HR = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.66, p for trend = 0.02).

Overall, results support the relationship between consumption of organic food and reduced risk of cancer in the general population, suggesting that an organic food-based diet (presumably containing lower levels of pesticide residue) may serve as a helpful preventative strategy against cancer. Strengths of the study include the use of a large sample size and the clinical validation of reported cancer cases. Limitations to consider involve the sampling of a population group who at baseline exhibited above average health behaviors, which could potentially limit the generalizability of reported findings, and a relatively short follow-up period, which may have precluded detection of other long-term health effects associated with dietary patterns.

Source: Baudry J, Assmann KE, Touvier M, et al. Association of frequency of organic food consumption with cancer risk: findings from the NutriNet-Sante prospective cohort study. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2018. DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.4357.

© 2018 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

Posted November 19, 2018.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

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