Diet, lifestyle and prostate cancer

By Dr Shireen Kassam, Director of Plant-Based Health Professionals UK

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that sits behind the bladder and in front of the rectum and secretes fluid into semen. Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common cancer in men in the UK and the second commonest globally. There are different stages of PC, all arising from a precancerous stage, which then progresses to localised cancer (within the prostate) followed by advanced cancer (outside the prostate). PC can be tracked in the blood by measuring a protein secreted by the prostate called prostate-specific antigen (PSA).

Prostate cancer affects men all around the world, with rising rates related to ageing, population growth and active screening. Black men have a significantly increased risk of prostate cancer, in part due to inherited genetic factors, and are more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage compared to other ethnic groups. Certain inherited genes can also be a driver of PC in White and other ethnicities. Other emerging risk factors include dairy products, deficiencies in vitamin E and selenium and occupational exposure to pesticides.

PC is not typically considered a cancer related to lifestyle behaviours, nonetheless, diet and lifestyle habits can still help to reduce the risk of developing PC and living well after a diagnosis of PC.

Dietary patterns and prostate cancer risk

In general, it is most useful to consider dietary patterns rather than individual foods when assessing cancer risk. The Western-style dietary pattern, high in meat, refined grains and ultra-processed foods is associated with a significantly higher risk of PC (around 34% higher risk), with a dose effect being apparent. In contrast, diets high in healthy plant foods are associated with a significantly lower risk.

When considering the plant-based dietary index, men who adhere to a healthy plant-based diet with a focus on fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds, have a significantly lower risk of PC (14% reduction) with a greater reduction (44%) in risk for aggressive PC.

With regards to specific therapeutic diet patterns, although the Mediterranean diet is considered healthy, there does not seem to be a specific benefit for reducing PC risk. However, when specifically assessing the impact of plant-based diets, including vegetarian and vegan, there appears to be a significant benefit for PC risk, with a vegan diet being consistently associated with a lower risk (up to 35% reduction).

Plant-based diets are thought to be beneficial because they are higher in health- promoting nutrients such as in fibre, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds and low in harmful nutrients such as saturated fat, haem iron and other cancer-causing compounds. In addition, vegan and vegetarian diets improve the health of the gut microbiome. Given that obesity is a known risk factor for developing prostate cancer, a mostly or fully plant-based diet can also support a healthier body weight.

Specific foods implicated in the development of prostate cancer

Dairy

Dairy from cows has consistently been associated with a higher risk of PC. In an analysis from the Adventist Health Study-2, which includes participants following a variety of diet patterns from omnivorous to vegan, men consuming 430g/d of dairy compared to those consuming 20.2g/d had a 27% increased risk of developing PC. The major rise in risk of PC was seen to occur between the zero intake category and second quintile of the dairy users, with the risk then remaining high but plateauing. Compared to participants consuming zero dairy, those consuming the most had a 60% increased risk. These data are supported by meta-analyses that have demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in PC risk with dairy consumption.

Why might this be? One important factor is that dairy and indeed diets high in animal products, result in higher blood levels of IGF-1. This growth factor stimulates cells to grow and is associated with an increased risk of cancer in general. Higher blood levels of IGF-1 have been associated with an increased risk of PC and other cancer. IGF-1 levels in people that don’t consume animal products (vegans) are significantly lower than in those that do and the risk of cancer in general is lower in those following a vegan diet. Of note, previous studies had suggested that it was the calcium in dairy that increased the risk of PC. However, more recent analysis suggests it is dairy per se and not calcium given the lack of risk with supplemental or non-dairy sources of calcium.

Meat

Red and processed meat consumption has been associated with an increased risk of PC in some but not all studies. A large meta-analysis of studies including almost two million participants and 35,326 cases of PC found a small but significant increase in risk with the consumption of both red and processed meat. For processed meat there was a dose effect with every 50g per day consumed resulting in a 4% increase risk of PC.

Don’t forget that in 2015, the World Health Organisation issued a report stating that processed meat is a group 1 carcinogen (its consumption causes cancer) and red meat a group 2 carcinogen (probably causes cancer). Although the strength of association is strongest for colorectal cancer, the risk of a number of other cancers is also increased by consuming processed and red meat.

There are several mechanisms by which processed and red meat can cause cancer. The strongest evidence is for the role of nitrites and nitrates, present in processed meat, which are converted in the gut to N-nitroso compounds, known cancer-causing compounds. Haem iron in red meat is also implicated in cancer development. When meat (any meat) is cooked at high temperatures, there is formation of cancer-causing chemicals such as heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Which foods help prevent prostate cancer?

Cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and kale stand out when it comes to cancer prevention, including prostate cancer. After consumption there is generation of compounds such as sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol that have been shown to have anti-cancer properties. Cruciferous sprouts have up to 100 times higher levels of sulforaphane and thus may be a way of maximising the health benefits of these vegetables. Four to five portions of cruciferous vegetables a week seems to be the required intake for this beneficial impact.

Cruciferous vegetables are likely to be beneficial even after a diagnosis of PC, with one study showing that men with PC who ate the most cruciferous vegetables (around one portion a day) had a 50% less chance of the cancer progressing compared to those men who ate the least.

Tomatoes and lycopene

Several studies have shown that the consumption of lycopene, the antioxidant in fruits and vegetables that gives them a red colour, is associated with a lower risk of PC. Lycopene is found in tomatoes, red peppers, watermelon, papaya, grapefruit to name a few. Tomato consumption in particular may have a protective effect, although the association is strongest for cooked rather than raw tomatoes, likely due to higher bioavailability of lycopene in cooked tomatoes.

Most studies show that the protective effect occurs when there is a high level of consumption. One study reporting data from the Adventist Health Study-2, including 27934 participants and 1226 cases of PC, suggested higher intake, 5 or more times/week vs. rarely/never, of canned/cooked tomatoes (but not raw tomatoes) was associated with a 28% reduction in the risk of PC. The consumption of approximately 64g of tomatoes per day was associated with a 14% reduction in risk of PC.

Soya foods and milk

Consumption of soya foods has been associated with a lower risk of PC in a number of studies. In fact, soya milk has been associated with a lower risk of PC, so if you are looking to swap out your dairy milk, then soya would be a good option for prostate health.

If you already have a diagnosis of PC, adding soya to the diet could also help. One study examined the impact of soya intake on PC progression. Men awaiting prostate surgery were randomly assigned to either eating a diet high in soya or not. In the soya group there was a significant decrease in the PSA level when compared to the control group.

Soya consumption is associated with numerous health benefits, including lower cholesterol levels and better heart, kidney and bone health.

Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are an excellent addition to any diet with a number of health benefits. The active components include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), lignans and fibre. Although firm conclusions cannot be drawn, there is certainly interest in their role in cancer prevention, including for PC. There may also be some benefit for those with established PCs. For example, a study investigating the impact of flaxseed intake on PC progression randomly assigned men awaiting surgery to having either 3 tablespoons of flaxseeds a day or not for an average of 30 days prior to surgery. At the time of surgery those that had been consuming the flaxseeds had lower levels of PC cell proliferation when compared to the control group.

Healthy drinks

Coffee consumption has been associated with a reduced risk of PC but the effect size is small with a 1% reduction in risk for each increment of one cup of coffee per day. Whereas, tea consumption in general does not appear to have a significant protective effect. The exception being that higher consumption of green tea (more than 7 cups a day) may have a beneficial impact. I think overall, if you enjoy drinking tea and coffee then there is no reason to stop. However, if you do not or caffeine results in side-effects, then there are in general more impactful ways of reducing the risk of PC.

Physical activity

Meeting physical activity and exercise recommendation is key for preventing a number of chronic conditions, including cancer. The guidance for adults is for 150 minutes of moderately vigorous or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week alongside resistance/strength and balance exercises twice a week. Any physical activity is better than none when it comes to cancer with as little as 3–5 minutes a day reducing the risk. Therefore it seems rather counter-intuitive that the evidence for physical activity for PC prevention is not very strong.

In contrast there is more robust evidence supporting physical activity interventions for those with an established diagnosis of prostate cancer, with improvements in metabolic health, fatigue, mental health and quality of life and a significant reduction in death from all causes. A randomised 12-week study of high-intensity exercise 3 times a week for 20 minutes was shown to improve cardiorespiratory fitness in men with PC and slowed progression based on PSA measurements.

Other lifestyle factors

All pillars of lifestyle medicine remain important for cancer prevention and living well after a diagnosis of cancer. Avoiding alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking and maintaining a healthy weight will support better health in general and better outcomes from PC. Although sleep disorders increase the risk of cancer and are common in people with cancer, there are few studies specifically in PC. Maintaining healthy relationships and having adequate social support are also important for improving survival after a cancer diagnosis.

Diet and lifestyle factors after a diagnosis of prostate cancer

Lifestyle interventions are important after a diagnosis of PC. Dr Dean Ornish, American physician and pioneer of lifestyle medicine, provided key evidence demonstrating that it is never too late to benefit. His study of 93 men with early stages of PC randomised half to a plant-based diet, regular exercise, stress management and social support. The other group continued their usual diet and lifestyle practices. After 1 year, the intervention group had a significant reduction in the PSA level, whereas the control group had a rise in PSA level. After 2 years, 27% of the control group had to go on and have conventional treatment (surgery or radiation) compared to only 5% in the intervention group.

In separate studies, Dr Ornish investigated the mechanisms by which these lifestyle interventions might be controlling PC growth. His lifestyle protocol was found to increase the activity of the enzyme telomerase in blood cells, which acts to maintain the length of telomeres, and favourably alter gene expression in the prostate cells themselves. In fact, a more recent study demonstrated how a compound in cruciferous vegetables can activate genes that are implicated in suppressing the growth of PC cells.

Further evidence supporting the role of nutrients found in plant-based foods and the potential impact of the gut microbiome comes from a randomised study in men with early stage PC. A whole food supplement of phytochemicals and lactobacillus was shown to delay progression of the disease and improve PC-specific symptoms.

Increased consumption of healthy plant foods has more recently been shown to improve quality of life in men living with PC. After treatment for prostate cancer, men consuming the most fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds reported better sexual, urinary and bowel function. Similarly, men consuming more plant foods and less animal-sourced foods may have improved cancer outcomes, including a reduced risk of cancer progression and improved remission duration and survival.

The STAMINA study is unique in being able to demonstrate how a diet and exercise program can be implemented into routine clinical care across the UK in people with PC. The study included men on anti-androgen therapy and was able to demonstrate that a healthy diet, inline with the UK’s dietary guidelines, and regular exercise improved quality of life, including fatigue.

Summary

There is sufficient evidence to use lifestyle medicine interventions to reduce PC risk and improve outcomes after diagnosis. A plant-based diet and exercise has the strongest evidence for improving cancer-related outcomes. However, all pillars of lifestyle medicine remain important. Lifestyle medicine interventions can support better cardiometabolic health, mental health and well-being and quality of life for men living with a PC diagnosis.

Plant-Based Health Professionals UK (PBHP UK) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to transforming UK healthcare into a healthier, fairer and more sustainable system. We rely on conferences, teaching, grants and membership to continue our work. If you enjoyed this article please join as a member and receive discounts, exclusive events and promotion on our platforms in return. Together, we can transform UK healthcare. https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership

NHS Doctors back Veganuary: Leading medics urge colleagues to support Veganuary to benefit patient, planetary and budget health

Date: 28 October 2026

A growing coalition of NHS doctors is throwing its weight behind Veganuary, using World Vegan Day, 1st November, to call on fellow healthcare professionals across the UK to adopt a plant-based diet for the month of January and beyond.

By leading by example, these doctors hope to spark vital conversations in their clinics and hospital wards nationwide about the preventative power of food.

The initiative aims not only to champion personal health and wellness among clinical staff, but also to spotlight the profound clinical benefits that whole-food, plant-based nutrition can offer patients managing chronic conditions.  In addition, shifting to plant-rich diets can support the NHS to meet its sustainability target and simultaneously ease mounting financial pressures on NHS budgets.

Robust clinical evidence demonstrates that plant-based diets can prevent, treat, and—in some cases—reverse chronic lifestyle-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. Key health impacts include:

• Coronary heart disease risk reduced by 25%
• Cancer risk lowered by around 15%
• Type 2 diabetes risk cut by at least 50%
• Aided maintenance of a healthy weight throughout life

Dr Shireen Kassam, Founder of Plant-Based Healthcare Professionals UK, Consultant Haematologist and Honorary Senior Lecturer at King’s College Hospital, London with a specialist interest in the treatment of lymphoma said: “As doctors, we spend the vast majority of our time treating the consequences of lifestyle-related chronic diseases. Prevention is always better than cure. By supporting Veganuary, we want to empower our colleagues to experience the incredible health benefits of plant-based eating firsthand, while sparking a wider conversation about the future of preventative healthcare in the NHS.” 

The economic argument for plant-based interventions is equally compelling:

• Research shows that if the British population ate meat-free lunches on weekdays, improved health could save the NHS as much as £2.2 billion annually.
• Implementing meat-free defaults in public catering—a low-cost intervention—would save the NHS £74 million a year.¹

Ben Day, NHS finance manager said: “We spend billions of pounds of NHS money every year treating preventable diseases and the consequences of poor diet and lifestyle. Supporting healthier plant-based eating doesn’t just mean better health and longer lives for individuals, it frees up vital NHS resources by avoiding future disease and reducing the need for long-term medication.”

Adopting a plant-based diet isn’t just a prescription for individual longevity and NHS budget relief; it is a critical step for planetary health. According to landmark research from the EAT-Lancet Commission, shifting toward plant-rich eating is one of the single most effective ways to lower carbon footprints, protect environmental resources, and secure a sustainable future for our healthcare infrastructure.

How NHS staff can get involved

Doctors, nurses, and allied healthcare professionals can sign up for the official Veganuary campaign at Veganuary.com, gaining access to free guides for GP Practices and NHS trusts, celebrity-backed recipes, nutritional guides tailored for busy schedules, and peer support networks.

Additionally, Plant-Based Health Professionals UK are offering micro-grants to their members to help them run local Veganuary events.

Hannah Yates, Head of Communications at Veganuary, said: “It’s wonderful to have the support of doctors in advocating for plant-based diets within healthcare settings. We hear from countless participants who find that trying vegan has a positive effect on their health, such as more energy, better sleep, improved digestion and clearer skin. We hear this feedback so much, these positive effects have become known as ‘the big four.’

Notes for editors:

1. https://bryantresearch.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2billion-NHS-Windfall-CAWF.pdf
   

Plant-Based Health Professionals UK (PBHP UK) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving human and planetary health through evidence-based whole-food plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine. By educating healthcare professionals and the public, it supports the prevention and management of chronic disease while recognising the interconnected health of people, animals, and the environment. PBHP UK has submitted health recipes to the NHS and have had 5 included on the NHS website

Tips for thriving on a plant-based diet

• About Veganuary: Veganuary is a non-profit organisation that encourages people worldwide to try vegan for January and beyond. Established in 2014, millions of people have officially taken part from almost every country in the world.
• Plant-Based Health Professionals UK Media Contact:

• • Jane Tredgett, Communications Manager

• • jane@pbhp.uk

December Social Members Meet-Up

14th December 12:30-1:30 PM

Join us for an informal members meet-up with some festive activities and time to chat with fellow members, hosted by Operations Manager Olivia. More details TBC.

PBHP UK Members book club

Sunday 29th November ​2026, 7pm GMT

Our next book club discussion will be about:

Immune to Age by Dr Jenna Macciochi

Members - please log in to find details of how to join the session.

Not a member? Please join us here.

Review of the plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine news October 2026

This month I cover diet and exercise for cardiovascular health and cancer, whether fish is required in the diet and plant-based diets for psoriasis and weight management.

Diet quality continues to undetermined health, social and economic outcomes in the UK

Poor diet quality in the UK continues to drive chronic ill health, premature mortality and has a negative impact on wider social and economic outcomes. An updated analysis from the Food Farming and Countryside Commission, just two years after the first, reveals that diet-related outcomes are getting worse.

The report states that the evidence that diet-related ill health causes economic harm has strengthened. 2.8 million people of working age are out of work due to long-term ill health. Poorer household and deprived places are affected more by chronic ill health. This is in part driven by inequitable access to healthy food given that poorer households now have to spend 85% of their income to afford a healthy diet in line with Government guidelines.

The estimated health-related costs attributable to unhealthy diets have risen to £298 billion a year. These are costs relating to healthcare, social care, welfare costs and costs related to loss of productivity and loss of quality of life. In contrast, the cost of making healthy diets (Eatwell Guide) affordable to all has reduced to £51 billion.

The need to address diet-related ill health has never been more important. This requires Government, healthcare and civil society to work together to ensure healthy, diets are accessible and affordable for all.

It is interesting to read a newly published modelling study that explores the impact of on health of reducing processed and red meat consumption in the UK in line with the Climate Change Committee recommendations. Data were analysed to model the impact of a 35% and 50% reduction and the results showed that when replaced with vegetables and legumes this would reduce the number of chronic disease cases by 3.4 and 5.6 million, and increase life expectancy by 7.2 and 9.4 months, respectively over a 30-year period. This benefit was mainly due to reductions in cardiovascular disease. There would also be a huge economic saving to this degree of disease prevention.

One way of implementing healthier diets, especially for those with chronic conditions, is through provision of medically tailored groceries or meals or produce prescription. We already have good practice examples such as the Alexandra Rose Charity fruit and vegetable vouchers given out via GP practices to people from deprived communities. Results have shown significant improvement in diet quality along with measurable improvements in health and lower reliance on health services.

A new publication reports the impact of providing plant-based medically tailored groceries to 68 people of lower socioeconomic means in Massachusetts, US. A retrospective analysis using electronic health records found that people receiving these plant-based groceries over a 3-year period had reductions in their body weight, BMI and blood pressure, but not HbA1c.

Nutrition for prevention and management of cardiovascular disease

It’s good to see this new scientific statement from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) on healthy diet patterns for cardiovascular health. The central message is unchanged. Healthy diets are high in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, whilst being low in red and processed meat and ultra-processed foods and avoiding alcohol. The report recommends prioritising plant sources of protein over animal sources.

Vegetarian and vegan diets are included as heart healthy dietary patterns (when they are built around whole foods). However, the report then contradicts itself by stating ‘long-chain omega-3 fatty acids are best obtained through regular fish consumption’.

It is not clear to me how that conclusion has been reached. People following vegetarian and vegan diets consistently have better cardiovascular health outcomes. There is an open question as to whether people who do not eat fish would benefit from a direct source of long-chain omega-3 fats i.e. from algae-based supplements. These are available and a well-established alternative to omega-3 fats from fish. At the moment the UK population eat on average one or less portion of fish a week. If we were to increase consumption this would be wholly unsustainable for ocean health and food security.

In my opinion we need to think beyond the oversimplified connection of fish with omega-3 fats and consider health more holistically, just as the One Health approach recognises. Headlines this week on how waste from chicken farming is being fed to farmed salmon is horrifying and cannot be justified. Plant-based diets are an excellent option for health and the planet and thus should be recognised for these co-benefits.

The ACC guidance does not specifically address diet in children. Given that atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease begins in childhood, it is important to recognise the role of modifiable risk factors early in life. This is why I like the 2022 nutrition guidance from the American Society of Preventive Cardiology, which specifically addresses paediatric populations. The advice remains the same as for adults, with fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seafood, nuts and seeds central.

Interestingly, a population-based, prospective analysis from the Netherlands which included 3990 children reported that greater adherence to a healthy plant-based diet was associated with improved cardiometabolic health. This included lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure and lower total cholesterol. These are key drivers of atherosclerosis, which starts in childhood, and determine future cardiovascular health. The results are consistent with those from other cohort studies that include vegan children, which show that a vegan diet is associated with lower cholesterol levels.

Exercise prescription for cardiovascular health

The ACC have also published a scientific statement on exercise prescriptions for cardiovascular health in adults. There is nothing particularly new in the document, but it is great to see the evidence and practical guidance all in one place with useful infographics. Aerobic, strength and balance exercises are important for all aspects of cardiovascular health and relevant to all cardiovascular conditions. There are very few contraindications and a few clinical scenarios where exercise testing is required before recommending regular exercise.

The guidance notes that despite the strong evidence for prescribing exercise for prevention and management of cardiovascular conditions, implementation is still an issue. For those of us in lifestyle medicine, the key components of an exercise prescription are well known – frequency, intensity, time, and type (FITT) – but need to be individualised based on a person’s health status, functional capacity, treatment goals, symptoms, medications, comorbidities, and personal preferences. Practical issues also need to be considered including, access to facilities, equipment, cost, and likelihood of long-term adherence.

The UK Government have recently updated their physical activity guidelines including advice across the life span.

A large analysis published in the BMJ brought together data from 124 randomised trials (18 429 participants) to assess the impact of structured exercise on bone health in middle aged and older adults. The results showed that brisk walking or jogging appeared to yield improvements in bone mineral density (BMD) comparable to combined aerobic-resistance exercises. Clinically meaningful BMD gains were generally observed at a threshold of 2-3 hours of brisk walking per week with a plateau in effect occurring at around 5 hours per week. This suggests that high intensity regimens may not be necessary. Mixed aerobic and mind-body exercises were associated with a reduced risk of incident fractures. The authors conclude that exercise prescription should be incorporated into treatment plans for preserving bone health with ageing.

Unlike for nutrition advice, there is little controversy around exercise as medicine. The main challenges are around implementation and equitable access.

Is eating fish really as healthy as we are led to believe?

Continuing on the theme of eating fish, it is interesting to note that this one-of-a-kind analysis of data from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort finds that fish consumption does not predict for better brain health or a lower risk of dementia over a 21-year follow up period.

We will never have a long enough randomised study that can definitely answer the question as to whether eating fish is required for optimal brain health. Therefore researchers used what is called target trial emulation framework to simulate a randomised study. This methodology provides the ability to infer a causal relationship between exposure and outcome from observational data. In the case of this study, the question was – is regular fish consumption associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and if so is the relationship causal?

The results showed that sustained fish consumption was not associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer disease and was researchers were not able to demonstrate an independent effect of fish consumption for prevention of dementia.

So the questions remain, does fish add any additional benefits to an otherwise health plant-based diet? The answer may well be no when it comes to brain health. The good news, according to larger observational datasets, is that it is never too late to change your diet in order to benefit brain health in later life.

Lifestyle intervention for men with prostate cancer

We have known for a few decades now that lifestyle interventions are important for improving outcomes in men with prostate cancer. Dr Dean Ornish was one of the first to demonstrate the benefits for men with early prostate cancer. He was also able to demonstrate mechanism of action such as positive changes in gene expression and increase in telomere length.

It is great to see the publication of the STAMINA intervention in men with prostate cancer on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in the UK. Men on ADT experience fatigue and negative impacts on quality of life. The trial was a multi-centre randomised study across 15 NHS trusts and included 389 men in the intervention arm and 311 men in the optimised usual care arm. The STAMINA lifestyle intervention comprised supervised aerobic and resistance exercise for 12 months, dietary advice, behavioural support, and complimentary gym membership. Optimised usual care comprised clinician training, educational materials, behavioural prompts, and safety-to-exercise checks.

The intervention was carried out in Nuffield Health fitness centres. I cannot locate information on the exact dietary advice but assume it would be inline with the recommendations of the Eatwell Guide.

At 12 months, the study met its primary end points and showed that compared to the control group, men in the intervention group experienced significant improvements in cancer-related quality of life and reductions in fatigue, using validated methods of assessment. The researchers were also able to demonstrate that the STAMINA lifestyle intervention is cost-effective compared with optimised usual care, being deliverable for £13, 920 per quality-adjusted life years and costing less than £1000 per annum even under the more expensive scenario examined. Given the use of the national network of Nuffield Health centres, this intervention could be implemented at scale immediately. There is also good reason to believe that the intervention would be beneficial for people with other types of cancers.

This study was particularly remarkable as it was able to demonstrate practical application in a real-world cancer settings, completing recruitment of 700 men in a 15- month period. The accompanying editorial reminds us that it took over 15 years to enrol 889 participants in the CHALLENGE trial, and the INTERVAL-GAP 4 trial was terminated due to low recruitment. The authors of the editorial also state that it is no longer ethical to conduct studies where people with cancer are assigned to receive no exercise, given the strength of evidence in support.

Importance of the gut microbiome in people with cancer

One of the most exciting areas of lifestyle medicine and cancer is the well-recognised fact that the health of the gut microbiome can impact response to treatment and survival from cancer. We still have a long way to go to understanding how to best leverage this knowledge into patient care. However, we can support people with cancer to improve their diet quality, which we know will not only improve the health of the gut microbiome but also have a number of other benefits for overall health.

The good news is that dietary modification can alter the gut microbiome in a matter of days. Improving gut microbial health requires a focus on fibre-rich plant-based foods, which is why most studies in the field are focusing on plant-based diets.

Dr Urvi Shah from MSKCC has already published a number of studies demonstrating how a fibre-rich diet has the potential to slow progression in plasm cell neoplasms and improve treatment responses in people with myeloma.

It is great to see another large haematology centre from the US (The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Centre) also apply this known and publish their feasibility study of a whole food plant-based meal intervention in people undergoing stem cell transplantation for myeloma. They were able to show that a whole food plant-based diet for 5 weeks was not only feasible and well tolerated, but it also led to significant changes in the gut microbiome and increased production of short chain fatty acids, compounds known to improve immune and systemic health.

High-fibre interventions are also being studied in people with melanoma, particularly in the setting of immunotherapy.

The Lancet Oncology have published an up-to-date review on cancer and the microbiome that is worth reading. Researchers however seem more interested in pre and probiotic supplements and faecal transplants rather than the tools we already have available to us – a plant-based diet.

Culinary cancer care programmes are desperately needed for supporting patients to eat more fibre-rich plant-based foods. Amy Symington in Toronto, Canada is doing some pioneering work in collaboration with the cancer charity The Gilda’s Club Toronto. She has published results of her work supporting people with cancer to improve culinary skills and diet quality. She was able to demonstrate that her plant-based culinary programme positively impacts diet quality and self-reported improvements in well-being and cancer-related symptoms.

Unfortunately, it seems the Gilda’s Club Toronto closed down in August 2026.

Diet quality and risk of psoriasis.

A new analysis from the UK Biobank, which followed 121,299 participants for a mean of 11.4 years, found that greater adherence to a plant-based diet was associated with a 19% lower risk of developing psoriasis. This was in part due to lower body fatness or adiposity and the finding was independent of genetic risk. It’s worth noting that researchers also assessed the impact of 9 other types of dietary patterns, but no protective impact was found.

Regarding individual foods, refined grains, sugary foods, meat and eggs were all associated with a higher risk of developing psoriasis.

This study follows the publication of the Asking People with Psoriasis about Lifestyle and Eating (APPLE) cross-sectional study that showed that people with a diagnosis of psoriasis eating the least plant-based foods had increased disease severity.

Vegan diets reduce liver fat without need for calorie counting

We know that one of the huge benefits of plant-based diets is the low energy density and hence lower body weight. This has been shown over and over again.

A new publication from the team at PCRM in people with type 2 diabetes added to the evidence. This single arm study included 25 participants who followed a low-fat vegan diet for 16 weeks. They were allowed to eat as much as they wanted to without restricting calories.

The results showed a mean body weight reduction of 6kg (6.6%), mainly due to loss of fat mass. In addition there were significant reductions in muscle and liver fat (33%), insulin resistance and advanced glycation end products. There was also evidence of improved pancreatic beta cell function.

Of course this type of study has significant limitations, being small and without a control group. However, it provides evidence of an alternative way of achieving weight loss and fat loss for people living with type 2 diabetes.

I attended an excellent webinar from MyNutriWeb this month on the role of plant-based diets for people on weight loss medications (GLP-1 medications). The webinar also presented the excellent GLP-1 nutrition guide developed by Proveg International.

See you back in November!

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Government needs to act urgently to protect UK food security in a changing world

By Isabelle Sadler, Research Assistant, Plant-Based Health Professionals UK

We all want a United Kingdom where, year-round, people can access healthy, nutritious food, the supermarket shelves are stocked and we aren’t concerned by food shortages.

That reality is still possible, but it’s under pressure.

UK food security is vulnerable. Recent years have brought some of the worst harvests on record. We rely heavily on imports for many healthy foods, while much of our farmland and resources goes to supporting high consumption of animal-based foods rather than plant-rich diets that human and planetary health require. COVID-19, wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and extreme weather have all shown how quickly disruption travels through global supply chains.

Protecting national food security is therefore critical and requires urgent change to how we produce and consume food. A shift towards a more plant-rich food system could build a healthier, more sustainable and more resilient food supply.

Food security under threat

Climate change is disrupting food production at home and overseas. The record-breaking heat and drought of summer 2026 damaged crops, cut yields and forced some animal farmers to start using winter feed early. Despite our own challenges, the UK is far less exposed and vulnerable to the impacts of climate change than many other countries which supply us with healthy staple foods we depend on.

The UK imports around 40% of all food, 80% of fruit and 47% of vegetables. Around 18% of our fruit and veg comes from nations at high and moderate risk to climate change, and recent modelling suggests that, without action, 52% of the legumes and 47% of the fruit supplied to the UK in 2050 could come from climate-vulnerable countries.

As climate breakdown accelerates, countries are likely to hold on to what they produce rather than export it, which puts Britain in a particularly weak position, leaving us exposed in respect to the foods we need for good health. Being able to domestically produce 60% of our food will also be hard to achieve in the future with more extreme weather due to climate change.

Geopolitical instability adds another layer of risk. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted international wheat, fertiliser and energy markets. Conflict involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz has highlighted the vulnerability of oil and fertiliser supplies: oil prices affect the cost of producing and transporting food, while almost half of the world’s urea, a major nitrogen fertiliser, passes through the Strait.

As the climate crisis worsens, global ecosystem degradation is likely to lower crop yields, trigger crop failures, reduce arable land, collapse fisheries and increase water insecurity.

Plant-rich diets: a way forward

“Livestock which consumes animal feed offers a much less efficient calorie conversion than crops for direct human consumption. The dominant use of land for animal feed in the UK is therefore an important consideration for questions around the sustainability and productive capacity of UK food production.”
– UK Food Security Report 2024

Using land to feed people

A more plant-rich food system could make much more efficient use of the UK’s limited land and resources, while reducing our reliance on vulnerable global supply chains.

Raising animals for food is an inefficient way to produce calories and protein. Over its lifetime, a cow converts just 5% of the calories and 10% of the protein it is fed into meat. In 2024, farmed animals consumed 47% of domestic wheat, 68% of barley, 37% of oats and 60% of field peas.

This has major implications for how effectively we use our agricultural land. According to Defra, all croppable land in the UK could be used to grow food for people, yet 56% is currently used to grow animal feed. Production of meat, dairy and eggs also increases our reliance on imported feed and fertiliser. Shifting land used for animal feed to growing food directly for people would increase the amount of food we produce from the same land, and reduce dependence on imported agricultural inputs.

“The UK does not have enough land to feed its population and rear livestock: a wholesale change in consumer diets would be required.”
– UK Parliament, Global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and UK national security, 2026 Research Briefing

Many of the plant foods needed for healthy diets can already be grown in the UK, and expanding their production could substantially increase our domestic food supply. Research by Compassion in World Farming estimates that converting UK land from feed to food production could feed an extra 16.5 million people.

Growing more of the foods we need

UK horticulture is in long-term decline, with vegetable and fruit output at or near their lowest levels since 2015. Only 53% of vegetables and 16% of fruit consumed in the UK are home grown. We cannot build nutritional security by neglecting domestic horticulture while leaning ever harder on climate-vulnerable regions.

Protein crops such as faba beans, soya, hemp and lupins have so much potential. For a given amount of protein or carbohydrate, plant foods need less land and fewer inputs than animal-sourced foods, so a shift allows us to do more with less and leaves UK businesses and consumers less dependent on the imported commodities that support animal farming. Pea protein and faba beans are already produced at scale, but mostly fed to animals.

Some of these crops are currently hard to scale because they are not ideally suited to UK weather and soils. But research into existing and new varieties, including precision breeding, offers the prospect of commercially viable UK crops, and species not currently grown here, such as chickpeas, are also being researched. With half of the UK’s legume supply imported, the commercial opportunity and the food security case for expanding protein crop production are clear. Innovative techniques such as vertical farming, which also shields crops from extreme weather, can help overcome land suitability limits. With the right investment and government support, UK-produced novel proteins such as those from precision fermentation could meet some of our nutritional needs.

Saving water

Water is fundamental to food production, but scarcity is becoming an immediate threat. In summer 2026, three quarters of England was in drought, 23 million people faced hosepipe bans and 1,350 wildfires were reported. As the climate changes, these pressures will become more frequent, while competition for water between households, businesses, energy generation and food production intensifies. It’s estimated that if water use stayed the same, by 2055, we could be short by 5 billion litres a day in England.

The government is responding with greater investment in climate adaptation, including major new reservoirs such as the Fens Reservoir. Projects like this are important, but progressing slowly and not the sole solution. Reducing demand for water-intensive products is also required.

The water required to produce the food consumed by the UK accounts for 7% of blue water use (water from rivers, lakes and groundwater). Animal meat is particularly water intensive. Analysis by Green Alliance found that producing 1kg of UK-grown pulses uses 95% less blue water than producing 1kg of beef.

Shifting what we eat could result in huge water savings:

• If every UK household swapped 100g of red and processed meat a week (about two pork sausages) for UK-grown pulses, we would save 45 billion litres of freshwater a year. That is equivalent to 82% of the Fens Reservoir’s planned capacity, or 375 million bathtubs.
• Swapping 200g a week (a beef burger and two pork sausages) would save 81 billion litres a year, equivalent to 147% of the reservoir’s capacity.

Protecting against food price shocks

The cost of a typical shopping basket has risen by more than 30% since 2022, and food prices are rising faster than household incomes, making a healthy diet harder to afford.

The Green Alliance estimates that climate impacts added around £361 to the average household food bill between 2022 and 2023, and that without effective action, heatwaves and floods could push UK food prices up another 34% by 2050.

Meat-heavy diets are especially exposed to this volatility. The large quantities of feed and energy required for animal farming makes it vulnerable to price or supply shocks in those inputs. As climate and resource pressures grow, meat is likely to become more expensive and less predictable to produce. Plant proteins need fewer inputs and are cheaper to produce; pulses deliver 42g of protein per £1, compared with 28g from beef mince.

Households can directly benefit now. Swapping a 100g or 200g a week of red and processed meat swap for UK-grown pulses could save the average household £95 or £147 per year, respectively.

Building a more resilient food system

None of this means that the UK should aim for complete food self-sufficiency. Imports provide valuable diversity, and can protect against a poor harvest in any one country and against supply or price shocks that come from individual suppliers. The problem is excessive dependence on vulnerable supply chains without enough domestic capacity or diversity to absorb shocks.

There is a clear need to boost UK production of fruit, vegetables, beans and pulses while simultaneously growing demand for foods that are healthy and sustainable. With rising food prices and the risk of empty shelves, increasing plant-based consumption and reducing animal-based foods is critical.

This would also tackle one of the underlying drivers of food insecurity, as agriculture is a major contributor to climate change. Moving towards more plant-rich diets and producing food more efficiently would help cut agricultural emissions and reduce pressure on land and other natural resources, while strengthening the UK’s capacity to feed its population.

Supporting British farmers

A secure and resilient food system depends on a thriving farming sector. British farmers are already under pressure from extreme weather, volatile input prices, tight margins and uncertainty, with difficult growing conditions affecting yields in recent years.

Reducing meat consumption in line with dietary and climate recommendations must not come at the expense of farmers’ livelihoods. Instead, a shift towards more plant-rich diets should be accompanied by policies that help farmers adapt and create new opportunities for a more resilient and diverse agricultural sector (see recommended reading below).

A recent analysis by the Green Alliance suggests that increasing domestic fruit and vegetable production could add £1.9 billion to the economy.

PBHP UK endorses the policy proposals to increase production and consumption of more plant-based foods that are outlined in the joint position paper: Reaping the Benefits of a Plant Rich Diet: the Ten Point Plan. 

Take action

Write to your local MP 

Ask your MP to act with urgency on this matter of national food security, suggest they attend a Public Emergency Briefing screening, and back The Ten Point Plan for Plant-Rich Diets.

Find your MP’s contact details using the Find MPs function on the UK Parliament website. Please make sure to only write to your own constituency MP.

See some suggested text here, or write your own, just make sure it is brief and polite.

Keep a sensible emergency food cupboard

Aim to gradually maintain around 72 hours’ worth of foods that you already eat and do not need refrigeration or extensive cooking. Don’t forget to include your animal companions in this emergency planning.

Useful plant-based options include:

• tinned beans, lentils, chickpeas, fruit and vegetables;
• nut or seed butter;
• oats and wholegrain cereal with fortified long-life plant milk;
• crackers and oatcakes;
• couscous, noodles, pasta or quick-cook rice;
• jars or cartons of sauce, herbs and spices;
• nuts, seeds, dried fruit and familiar snacks; and
• sufficient drinking water, alongside any essential medicines and foods needed for infants, older people, allergies or medical conditions.

If you have freezer space, frozen fruit and vegetables are useful everyday foods and can provide a buffer when fresh foods are temporarily unavailable. But a power cut can make frozen supplies unreliable. Keep a manual tin opener and consider what you could prepare without electricity.

There is no need to buy everything at once. Pick up an extra item when affordable, use the oldest products in everyday meals and replace them, rather than leaving a separate stockpile to expire.

Recommended reading

Further policy solutions, including how to support farmers, are outlined in these reports:

• Our new briefing: how plant-based foods make the UK more secure | The Vegan Society
• Lack of investment in horticulture sector has left UK reliant on fruit & veg imports from countries vulnerable to climate change | Food Foundation
• A better food system for people and the planet » Green Alliance
• UK food security in a climate changed world » Green Alliance

World Food Day: Nature is our greatest innovator – why a plant-rich diet outpaces tech in the fight for our planet

Date: 16th October 2026

As the world marks innovation-themed World Food Day on October 16th, 2026, a powerful conversation is taking centre stage regarding the future of food, sustainability, and technology.

Whilst corporates race to develop high-tech solutions to combat climate change, experts and environmental advocates are reminding the global community of a timeless truth: nature remains the ultimate innovator.

When it comes to nourishing a growing population while healing the planet, the most efficient, nutrient-dense food systems are already growing right out of the earth.

Nature’s masterclass in innovation: Plant-rich is rich all round

For millions of years, evolution has fine-tuned plant ecosystems to produce an astonishing variety of nutrient-dense foods. From leafy greens packed with iron and antioxidants to legumes rich in protein and fibre, whole plant foods offer a masterclass in biochemical efficiency.

Nature packages vital nutrients directly alongside the dietary fibre and micronutrients our bodies require. Shifting our focus toward these natural powerhouses represents a return to bio-intelligent agriculture – one that honours biodiversity, restores soil health, and supports long-term human vitality without the need for intensive industrial processing.

Recent research highlights the profound environmental impact of these choices: a study published in The Lancet demonstrated that replacing standard hospital menus with low-emission, plant-rich dishes reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 39% and land use by 51%, alongside significantly lower food waste and an 84% patient satisfaction score.

The limits of tech: why diet beats emissions technology

As industries search for ways to curb global greenhouse gas emissions, considerable funding has poured into technological fixes, such as carbon capture systems and industrial efficiency upgrades. However, environmental data reveals a stark reality: emissions technology does not reduce emissions anywhere near as much, or as quickly, as a plant-rich diet does.

For example, the National Food Strategy estimates that methane reduction technologies will only decrease farming emissions by 10% and recommends reducing meat consumption by at least 30% to achieve meaningful mitigation of the climate catastrophe.

Nourishing body and mind: Plant-rich is health-rich

Beyond their ecological advantages, plant-rich diets offer extraordinary benefits for human health. Extensive nutritional research consistently demonstrates that diets centred around whole plant foods – such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds – are powerfully protective against chronic illnesses, helping to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 25%, type 2 diabetes by at least 50%, and cancer by around 15% while supporting healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, a plant-based lifestyle fuels optimal physical performance, enhances immune function, and promotes long-term wellbeing from the inside out.

As noted by Dr Shireen Kassam, Director of Plant-Based Healthcare Professionals UK, Consultant Haematologist, shifting toward whole-food plant-based living is one of the most impactful choices we can make for personal and public health.

Whilst technological interventions are often costly, localised, and slow to scale, dietary shifts offer an immediate, highly scalable solution. Animal agriculture is a leading driver of global greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and freshwater depletion. Transitioning toward plant-rich diets dramatically shrinks individual and collective carbon footprints overnight – outpacing the mitigation capacity of many industrial technologies currently being championed.

A call to action for a sustainable future

This World Food Day, individuals, policymakers, and communities are encouraged to look past the hype of high-tech silver bullets and embrace the earth-friendly power of plants. By choosing nutrient-dense, plant-rich foods, we can simultaneously combat common health problems, preserve natural ecosystems, and achieve meaningful climate action.

The future of sustainable food is not waiting to be invented in a laboratory, it is already rooted in the earth.

Media Contact: Jane Tredgett
Communications Manager
jane@pbhp.uk
07710 317422

Notes for editors:
Plant-Based Health Professionals UK (PBHP UK) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving human and planetary health through evidence-based whole-food plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine. By educating healthcare professionals and the public, it supports the prevention and management of chronic disease while recognising the interconnected health of people, animals, and the environment. PBHP UK and partners have developed 30 fully plant-based recipes for the NHS recipe bank.

References:
“Providing government investment in research and innovation would speed things up further still, and have the added benefit of boosting the “green economy”. But we must be realistic. There are drawbacks associated with methane reduction technologies, and limits to how they can be used.6 Food additives need to be given regularly, which means they aren’t suitable for cows that spend most of their days in fields. We estimate that the methane reduction techniques currently in development could cut farming emissions by around 10%. A good start, but not enough on its own.” pg 123 National Food Strategy https://www.nationalfoodstrategy.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/National-Food-Strategy-The-Plan.pdf

Development, implementation, and evaluation of a Planetary Health menu in a Canadian hospital: an experimental study. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196%2826%2900056-2/fulltext

How does diet and lifestyle drive chronic disease?

By Isabelle Sadler and Shireen Kassam

The alarming rise in disease rates, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and many cancers, can partly be attributed to changing lifestyle habits and dietary patterns. Our lives are becoming increasingly sedentary and our diets increasingly high in animal-based and highly processed foods while being low in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains.

Most chronic diseases share similar pathogenic mechanisms, even though their manifestations may differ. The key driver is low-grade chronic inflammation. Inflammation is the body’s response to tissue damage, and usually it is a protective process. However, when the body becomes overwhelmed, inflammation can lead to damage of normal tissues, resulting in chronic disease. Diet and lifestyle choices can either promote or prevent this kind of inflammation.

Below, we look at the main mechanisms that link diet to chronic disease.

1) Oxidative stress

Oxidation is a normal process in the body, referring to the loss of electrons by a molecule, atom or ion. The opposite reaction, the gain of an electron, is called reduction. These processes are usually in balance and play a crucial role in normal cellular metabolism. An imbalance between oxidation and reduction can give rise to reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS are a normal byproduct of cellular metabolism, but during times of “stress” their levels can rise dramatically, resulting in tissue damage through oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress can damage proteins, DNA and cell membranes. Stressors that increase ROS levels include cigarette smoking, medication, pesticides, radiation, and our diet choices. The body requires antioxidants to counter these damaging ROS. Studies have shown that people eating predominantly plant-based diets have higher levels of antioxidants in the body than omnivores, including various polyphenols, vitamin C, and vitamin E.

Plant foods contain hundreds of antioxidant compounds and have vastly higher antioxidant content than animal-derived foods. Some compounds within animal-derived foods, such as haem iron (found in haemoglobin and myoglobin in meat), are pro-oxidants that create oxidative stress and can contribute to cellular damage. Haem iron is also a catalyst for ROS formation, causing significant damage to DNA and increasing inflammation and protein damage. There is evidence from observational studies to suggest that high dietary haem intake from animal meat consumption increases the risk for adverse health effects including type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, cardiovascular, and some cancers.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are a group of compounds that induce oxidative stress and increase inflammation. They are formed by a spontaneous chemical reaction between an amino acid (protein) and a monosaccharide (glucose). AGEs accumulate over time, and the body’s process for clearing them is slow. The long-term consumption of AGEs results in the production of pro-inflammatory molecules, increases inflammatory markers, and leads to immune activation. They have also been shown to cause cellular damage and insulin resistance, worsening endothelial function and organ health, and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, kidney failure, cancer and neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases.

Some AGEs are produced in the body every day, but diet is the biggest contributor to AGE formation, along with tobacco products. AGEs from food are generated more readily from protein-rich foods, when cooking at high temperatures, for longer periods, and with dry-heat cooking. Lower amounts form when moisture is present. A 2010 study that categorised AGE levels across 549 foods found animal-derived foods that are high in fat and protein are highest in AGEs and also prone to new AGE formation during cooking. The highest levels were observed in beef and cheeses followed by poultry, pork, fish, and eggs. Fried and processed foods also generate high levels of AGEs. In contrast foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and milk contain relatively few AGEs, even after cooking. AGE formation is also increased by altered glucose metabolism, that is, high blood sugar, insulin resistance and diabetes.

2) Gut dysbiosis

The gut microbiome is made up of trillions of microorganisms living in the gut. We understand most about the bacteria there, but viruses, fungi and protozoa are present too. The gut microbiota ferment indigestible substrates, including dietary fibre, and produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as butyrate, propionate and acetate. SCFAs are signalling molecules required for the integrity of the gut lining, the gut’s immune system, reducing colonic pH and protecting against pathogens, and are thought to have a direct anti-inflammatory effect in the gut. A healthy gut microbiome is characterised by richness and high microbial diversity with a wide range of species present, whereas dysbiosis is defined by an imbalance of the bacterial species in the gut. This imbalance is linked to metabolic dysfunction, which contributes to the development of various chronic diseases.

Dietary choices affect the health of the gut microbiota, partly because they rely predominantly on fibre from whole plant foods. Plant-based diets can increase bacterial diversity and promote the generation of SCFAs. Diets lacking in plant-derived fibre, as is the case for most Western-style diet patterns, are known to reduce SCFA production and increase production of secondary bile acids, which are formed by gut bacteria acting on primary bile acids from the liver. Secondary bile acids can damage gut cells, increase gut permeability, and are implicated in the development of gastrointestinal cancers. Diets high in saturated fat may also negatively affect microbiota richness and diversity, and can increase gut permeability, allowing inflammatory substances such as bacteria and lipopolysaccharides (bacterial endotoxins) into the circulation, which contributes to inflammation. An unhealthy gut microbiome also results in lower levels of incretin hormones, a group of gut hormones released after eating that lower blood glucose and support the effects of insulin. In people with type 2 diabetes, this incretin effect is reduced or absent.

3) Lipotoxicity / dyslipidaemia

An unhealthy diet that provides more calories than the body needs, especially from saturated fat and highly processed foods, can drive excess fat accumulation. While weight gain is often most visible as subcutaneous fat stored beneath the skin, fat stored around the organs (visceral fat) and within tissues where it would not normally be stored (ectopic fat) is particularly harmful to health.

Body fat, or adipose tissue, is considered a metabolically active endocrine organ, secreting signalling molecules that regulate metabolism, inflammation, and immunity. As adipose tissue expands, fat cells become larger and/or increase in number, which can place stress on the cells, disrupt their normal function, and activate inflammatory pathways.

When excess fat accumulates in the liver, skeletal muscle, heart and pancreas, it can cause these organs to become dysfunctional and lead to metabolic disease. For instance, high levels of visceral fat are strongly associated with insulin resistance, an important predictor of type two diabetes risk. In the pancreas, fat infiltration can damage cells to the point where they can no longer produce enough insulin.

In obesity, this can contribute to low-grade chronic inflammation and impaired immune cell function, leading to systemic metabolic dysregulation. This increases the risk of developing obesity-related metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Importantly, you don’t have to be overweight, or carry much excess subcutaneous fat, to have excess visceral or ectopic fat. This is one reason people of normal weight or BMI can still develop type 2 diabetes when exposed to a Western-style lifestyle and diet.

4) Protein source

Protein has become a rather revered macronutrient, but more isn’t necessarily better, and the source and quality of protein matters more than the quantity.

Studies have shown that higher intake of protein from animal sources is associated with increased risk of mortality, cardiovascular disease and cancer, whereas intake of plant protein has been associated with a lower risk of these diseases. This has been demonstrated across various large cohorts, including the Nurses’ Health Study, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, the Adventist Health Study, and a large prospective cohort study conducted in Japan. In a 2021 cohort study, substituting 5% energy of animal protein with plant protein was associated with between a 9%-19% lower risk of all‐cause mortality, 13%-30% lower risk of CVD mortality, and 3%-32% lower risk of dementia mortality.

There are several reasons animal protein is a less healthy choice: it’s typically packaged with cholesterol and saturated fat, and it has a higher content of sulphur-containing and branched-chain amino acids compared with plant-derived protein – both linked to a higher risk of chronic disease. Red meat also increases trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) in the body, which may underlie the association with cardiovascular disease. As previously mentioned, animal proteins contain higher amounts of AGEs, especially when cooked. Cooking animal protein at high temperatures may also lead to the production of heterocyclic amines (HAAs), which are thought to increase cancer risk in humans.

Can a plant-based diet help prevent and reverse these diseases?

Oxidative stress, gut dysbiosis and lipotoxicity all feed into chronic low-grade inflammation, which in turn drives chronic disease. LDL-cholesterol, elevated largely by the saturated fat content of a Western diet, is a further underlying cause of atherosclerosis on top of these mechanisms.

A whole-food, plant-based diet is best described as an anti-inflammatory diet, working against each of the mechanisms above. Individuals following a predominantly whole foods, plant-based diet can have lower levels of inflammatory markers, less evidence of oxidative stress (see also), lower levels of AGE’s, higher fibre intake leading to a healthier gut microbiome with higher SCFA levels, and are less likely to be overweight.

To learn more about plant-based diets for the prevention of chronic diseases, you can visit our article pages that cover:

• Healthy weight management
• Brain health
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease

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Plant-Based Health Professionals UK (PBHP UK) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to transforming UK healthcare into a healthier, fairer and more sustainable system. We rely on conferences, teaching, grants and membership to continue our work. If you enjoyed this article please join as a member and receive discounts, exclusive events and promotion on our platforms in return. Together, we can transform UK healthcare.

Review of the plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine news September 2026

This month I cover healthy ageing, dietary fat and prostate cancer, plant-rich meals in hospitals, dairy and health plus more benefits of adding plants to your plate.

Dietary patterns, mortality and life expectancy by frailty status

Readers will already know that dietary risk factors are one of the key determinants of chronic ill health and early death in the UK and globally. Healthy diet patterns are in general high in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds and low or absent in red and processed meat and ultra-processed foods.

This new study aimed to assess the impact of dietary patterns on life expectancy in participants of the UK Biobank Study, stratifying by frailty status. The study focused on four dietary patterns assessed via a food frequency questionnaire at baseline: alternative Mediterranean Diet (aMED), which assesses intake of foods central to the traditional Mediterranean diet; Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), designed to prevent hypertension and cardiovascular disease; Plant-based Diet Indices (PDI), which evaluate the quality and extent of plant-based food consumption, including overall (PDI), healthful (hPDI), and unhealthful (uPDI) versions; and Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI), based on the EAT-Lancet Commission’s recommendations for both human and planetary health. Frailty status was assessed at baseline using five criteria: weight loss, exhaustion, physical activity, walking speed, and grip strength.

After a median follow-up of 13.4 years, participants most adherent to these healthy diet patterns had a significant reduction in mortality. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet reduced mortality by 24%, the DASH diet by 17%, the PDI by 16% and the PHDI by 12%. Even more benefits were apparent in those with greater frailty.

Analysis of individual food components revealed that higher intake of plant-based foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality, while higher intake of red meat, processed meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with higher risks. Associations with fish, chicken and eggs were not consistent.

Greater adherence to healthy dietary patterns also predicted for a longer life expectancy. At age 40, greater adherence to the Med diet led to a life expectancy of 46.7 years, the DASH diet 46.1 years, the PDI 45.74 years and PHDI 45.72 years. Greater life expectancy with a healthier diet was seen across all frailty statuses. Women had a longer life expectancy than men, but men seem to benefit the most from adhering to a healthier diet.

Although the study results are not surprising, what it does show is that a healthy diet can improve health and longevity regardless of frailty, with perhaps even more benefits for older, frail people. So the key message has to be – it’s never too late to adopt a healthy diet, including eating more plant-based foods.

It should also be noted that we know the British public on average eats less than one portion of legumes per week and only 17% of adults eat 5 portions of fruit and veg per day. These findings are therefore in the context of a population who are in general not consuming enough of the foods that promote food health. A prior analysis from the same study cohort showed that the consumption of carbohydrate-rich plant-based foods was associated with markers of healthier ageing, whereas animal foods and low-carb diets were associated with adverse effects on markers of ageing.

Vegan diets in healthy older adults

There is still doubt as to whether a fully plant-based or vegan diet is appropriate for older adults, in part because of the traditional thinking that animal protein is more bioavailable and hence should be associated with lower rates of frailty.

This randomised study aimed to ask whether healthy older adults could adopt a vegan diet without compromising protein intake and skeletal muscle mass.

The study had three parallel arms in which 72 healthy older adults aged ≥65 years were randomly assigned to follow 1) a self-selected vegan diet (VEG), 2) their habitual omnivorous diet (OMNI), or 3) a self-selected vegan diet with RE (VEG-RE) for 12 weeks. The primary outcomes was total fat-free thigh muscle volume assessed with MRI. There were a number of secondary outcomes including, muscle volume of the anterior and posterior thighs of the dominant- and non–dominant legs specifically, appendicular lean mass, body mass, thigh muscle strength, thigh muscle fat infiltration (MFI), abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue, visceral adipose tissue, liver fat fraction, muscle protein synthesis (MPS) rates and dietary intake of energy, macronutrients and essential amino acids consumed per day.

The vegan diet groups were counselled during three nutrition meetings, before and two during the study. Participants were provided with resources, including recipes. To improve compliance, all participants were provided with self-selected commercially available plant-based (VEG and VEG-RE) or animal-based (OMNI) food products every other week.

During the study period there was a significant decrease in protein intake (27g/d) in both the VEG groups compared to their baseline and decreased intakes of essential amino acids (except cysteine). The VEG groups also significantly increased their intake of carbohydrates and fibre (45%). There was no difference from baseline in intakes of energy or fat. This change in dietary intake in the VEG group correlated with a decline in skeletal muscle mass and in lower daily MPS rates. However, this decline was attenuated in the VEG-RE group who were doing resistance exercise twice per week. There was also a difference in change in muscle strength between VEG (~5‒10% strength loss) and VEG-RE (~3‒8% strength gain). The VEG group also lost body mass (-2.9kg) suggesting negative energy balance despite energy intake not changing. This suggests that perhaps absorption of food reduced, in part because of the higher fibre intake.

At first the results may seen alarming and interpreted as a vegan diet is putting older adults at risk of sarcopenia. However, the study does not provide information on the actual dietary intake of participants. What is clear is that shifting from an omnivorous to a vegan diet requires adequate knowledge and skills on how to incorporate high protein foods into the diet. The substantial decrease in protein intake from baseline in the VEG groups suggested that intakes of beans, soya and other meat analogues were insufficient. Yet, when protein intake is adequate, we know that a vegan diet can support muscle protein synthesis and maintain muscle mass and strength just as well as an omnivorous diet, with evidence of potential adaptation to lower protein intakes.

So the cautionary note here is that when older adults adopt a vegan diet, adequate support is needed to ensure they consume enough energy and protein. The study also demonstrates the benefits of resistance exercise, which should be a part of everyone’s routine.

Do vegetarian diets increase the risk of early death?

A rather alarming new study suggests that older adults following a vegetarian diet have an increased risk of premature death. Researchers analysed dietary data and causes of death in adults aged ≥65 years from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (n = 6678) and the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n = 6305). Those participants following a vegetarian diet (various subtypes of vegetarian diet were defined – pesto-vegetarian, lacto-ovo vegetarian and vegan) or who had transitioned from an omnivorous to vegetarian diet had an increased risk of all cause mortality in the range of 19-52% increased risk.

Although we can’t dismiss study results because they don’t align with one’s values or mission, it’s worth noting a few things about this study. Firstly, vegetarians were identified by the fact that they excluded various animal sourced foods from the diet. There are no data provided on what these participants were actually eating. The numbers of vegetarians in each cohort was very small – 578 in the Chinese cohort and 191 in the US cohort. Therefore the number of deaths during follow-up in each category were tiny – 50 deaths of vegans in the Chinese group and 10 in the US group.

Without knowing anything about diet quality, it is impossible to take any learning away from this paper. We know that meat-free diets can be composed of high intakes of refined grains, sugar and ultra-processed foods or they can be healthy if focussed on minimally processed whole plant foods and thus diet quality is paramount when researching health outcomes We also have no idea what the participants died of.

Overall, the study is worth noting but needs to be put into the context of the rest of the literature we have on meat-free diets. In larger cohorts such as the the EPIC-Oxford study, all-cause mortality is not significantly different from omnivores. In the Adventist Health Study-2, vegans have a lower mortality at age 65 years but this advantage is lost by age 85 years. However, vegans and vegetarians consistently show lower rates of cardiovascular diseases, cancer and type 2 diabetes. I think most people who identify as vegan would be happy to accept these findings and be reassured with the fact that chronic disease risk may be lower albeit with a comparable life-expectancy to omnivores.

Dietary Fat Intake and Mortality Among Patients With Nonmetastatic Prostate Cancer

There is accumulating evidence that healthy habits, including dietary factors, are important after a diagnosis of cancer and can improve survival. There has been a lot of research on dietary factors and prostate cancer, which I have summarised in this article. Essentially, a plant-based diet is associated with lower risk of prostate cancer and improved outcomes following diagnosis.

This new analysis from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study from the US analysed the impact of fat consumption after a diagnosis of prostate cancer in 4884 men, during a median follow-up of 12.8 years. Dietary data was collected via questionnaires every 4 years.

The results showed that men consuming the most saturated fat had an increased risk of dying from all-causes (24% increased) cardiovascular diseases (42% increase) and other cancers (42% increase). Saturated fat is mostly derived from animal-sourced foods. Replacing 10% of calories from animal fats with plant-based fats and replacing 5% of calories from saturated fats with monounsaturated fats (nuts, avocado, olives/olive oil) was associated with a decrease in all-cause mortality of 16% and 20% respectively. Dietary fat intake was not specifically associated with prostate cancer mortality.

There are no surprises here in that diets high in animal-sourced foods and saturated fat have long being shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, with healthy plant-based diets showing the opposite. The authors conclude ‘This study coupled with prior epidemiologic studies provides evidence-based recommendations for patients and clinicians around dietary fat consumption to improve survivorship outcomes in the clinical setting of non-metastatic prostate cancer.’

Implementing the Planetary Health Diet in a Canadian acute hospital

This is a genuinely important study for all of us working in the institutional diet change space, especially healthcare. It provides some of the strongest real-world evidence to date that plant-rich menus can be introduced successfully in a large acute hospital. In a 700-bed Canadian tertiary hospital, researchers redesigned lunch and dinner menus by replacing higher-impact dishes with newly developed plant-based and lower-emission options (animal-sourced food was still included in the new menu). Plant-based dishes increased from 0% to 39% of first-choice meals, while meat provision fell substantially.

Importantly, the new menu remained nutritionally adequate. Average protein provision was maintained at around 87 g/day, fibre increased from 19.1 to 23.2 g/day, iron content increased, and calcium and folate improved to meet recommended targets. Overall plate waste did not increase significantly, despite concerns that unfamiliar plant-based meals might be rejected. In fact, waste fell significantly for the newly developed pulse, soya and fish dishes compared with their original counterparts.

Uptake was also impressive with the new dishes served to around 67% of hospitalised patients at each mealtime. 84% of surveyed patients rated them positively, and only 5% of those receiving a plant-based dish chose not to try it. The environmental benefits were substantial, with greenhouse gas emissions from catering falling by 39% and land use by 51%.

For our work in the UK with the Plants First Healthcare Coalition, the key message is that plant-rich hospital food is not only feasible, but can be nutritious, acceptable to patients and compatible with reducing waste and emissions. The study also reinforces the importance of chef-led recipe development, cultural relevance, patient feedback and making plant-rich dishes part of the normal menu rather than a marginal special-diet option.

Another study relevant to public sector catering comes from my colleagues at King’s College London, where researchers tested a “root-to-tip” approach to catering, using parts of fruits and vegetables that would normally be discarded during food preparation, such as peels, skins, stalks and seeds, as ingredients in meals.

Thirty-two dishes were co-designed with chefs and introduced across five university food outlets over nine weeks. Examples included an Asian watermelon salad incorporating the rind and a West African peanut stew using unpeeled butternut squash and its seeds.

During the 9-week intervention period, root-to-tip dishes accounted for 36.6% of all hot-meal sales, while among survey participants choosing a hot meal, 62.4% selected a root-to-tip dish. This approach results it each serving containing on average 0.7 g more fibre while generating 39.7 g less food-preparation waste, amounting to 230 kg of avoided waste. Although conducted in a university rather than a hospital, this is highly relevant to the wider public sector. It shows how chefs can think beyond simply replacing animal foods with plants and instead use plants more creatively and completely, improving nutritional value while preventing food waste. Interestingly, taste and health, rather than sustainability, were the strongest drivers of food choice, reinforcing an important lesson for plant-rich public-sector catering: sustainable food needs first and foremost to be delicious, nutritious and appealing.

Dairy and health

I was honoured to be part of this new documentary exposing the truth about dairy. It will be essential viewing for anyone that still consumes dairy. It is also timely to see this new review paper on dairy by Dr Matthew Nagra and colleagues. The summary is that dairy is not required in the diet of humans. Milk is for babies and not needed beyond weaning. The health impacts depend on what it is replacing in the diet. Dairy is certainly better for health than eating red and processed meat and drinking sugar-sweetened beverages. But, we can make a healthier choice. Choosing beans, pulses, soya, whole grains nuts and seeds instead of dairy is better for health.

The authors of the review conclude ‘Health professionals and researchers are encouraged to adopt the comparative perspective offered by substitution analyses, recognising that the health implications attributed to dairy are largely a function of what it replaces, or what replaces it, within the overall dietary pattern, rather than reflecting an inherent property of dairy in isolation.’

There is nothing special about consuming dairy from a cow when it comes to health. Yet is it horrific for the cows trapped in this industry and farming cows is detrimental to planetary health in terms of carbon and methane emission, land and water use and land, air and water pollution. Let’s be true to the evidence and stop promoting dairy as a health food.

Other notable studies this month include a secondary analysis from a randomised study conducted by PCRM showing once again that a fully plant-based/vegan diet reduced dietary energy density by around 30% hence leading to lower energy intake and greater weight loss compared to an omnivorous diet. This is because plant-based foods are high in water and fibre and low in fat, thus increasing food volume without a proportional increase in energy content. This supports satiety and reduces energy intake without having to deliberating restrict calories/portion size. Read more about energy density and weight management in our free resources.

A massive new meta-analysis from Dr Dagfinn Aune and colleagues, including 87 randomised studies, finds that whole grain consumption is associated with a number of cardiometabolic benefits including, lower body weight, waist circumference, IL6 and CRP levels (markers of inflammation), LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting plasma glucose and systolic blood pressure. Intakes of 60-100g dry weight (∼115–190 g/day fresh weight) or 4–6 servings per day may be the optimal amount.

We now have a plant-based option for enteral tube feeding in hospital. This study shows that Compleat® Plant Protein 1.6, a food for special medical purposes for use under medical supervision, is well tolerated and acceptable to patients requiring tube feeding. The protein source is pea and the product also contains omega-3 fats and vitamin D from algae. This product has the potential to replace dairy-based tube feeds in order to be more inclusive of people who are lactose intolerant/dairy allergic, vegan, and to meet sustainability goals.

Finally, updated school food standards in the UK have removed the requirement to serve meat three time per week. Instead, schools are free to choose between a variety of protein sources, including pulses. There is much more emphasis on serving fruits and vegetables and limiting ultra-processed foods. Plant-based drinks are also considered an acceptable alternative to dairy milk. My main disappointment is the continued allowance of cheese as a protein source, albeit limited to two meals per week. Optional topping cheese on jacket potatoes and pasta are excluded from the weekly limit. Overall, this does leave the door wide open for schools to adopt plant-rich or even plant-exclusive menus.

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THAT’S NUTS! A handful of nuts a day cuts blood pressure risk by a quarter, new study finds

Date: 04 September 2026 

It costs pennies, fits in your palm and could be one of the easiest things you do for your heart. Scientists who pooled data on more than 143,000 people say a daily handful of nuts is linked to a significantly lower risk of high blood pressure – the nation’s number one metabolic killer.

A cheap daily handful of nuts is one of the simplest – and most affordable – things you do for your heart, according to major new research.

Now scientists that have pooled data on more than 143,000 people say a daily handful of nuts is linked to a significantly lower risk of high blood pressure – the UK’s number one metabolic killer.

Those who are exceptionally nutty about nuts are around 16% less likely to develop high blood pressure than those who eat the least, experts found after tracking over 20,000 cases.

A daily handful, about 28 grams, about the size which fits in your palm, was linked to roughly a 20% lower risk of high blood pressure.

But the sweet spot comes at around 30 to 35 grams a day, where the risk is a quarter lower.

But piling your plate still higher didn’t add much extra benefit, so there’s no need to overdo it.

High blood pressure affects more than 1.4 billion people worldwide and is the leading driver of heart attacks, strokes and kidney disease  often with no symptoms until it’s too late. With the weekly shop still squeezing budgets, it makes the new study a rare piece of health advice that won’t stretch the purse strings.

At a time when the nation’s health headlines are dominated by pricey weight-loss jabs, it’s a reminder that some of the simplest tools for a healthier heart might already be sitting in the kitchen cupboard – no prescription required.

So what’s going on?

Nuts are packed with heart-friendly unsaturated fats, fibre, potassium and natural plant compounds. They’re also rich in an amino acid the body turns into nitric oxide – a natural chemical that relaxes and widens blood vessels, taking the pressure off. And despite being calorie-dense, nuts are actually linked to lower rates of obesity, another major cause of high blood pressure.

The simplest way in? Swap your mid-afternoon crisps or a biscuit for a small handful of unsalted nuts. Unsalted is the key word… the studies couldn’t tell salted and unsalted apart, and too much salt pushes blood pressure the wrong way, so plain nuts are the way to go.

Michael Metoudi, Registered Dietitian & Research Scientist said,

“These findings as a whole are really encouraging, especially from a public health perspective considering the staggering rise in rates of high blood pressure. This research is  an important addition to the existing evidence supporting the health benefits of eating nuts and reinforces the rationale for increasing daily intake”.

The researchers, writing in the British Journal of Nutrition, rated the strength of the evidence as “probable” – a solid grade for this kind of study, though not cast-iron proof. Because the studies tracked people’s real-life habits rather than testing nuts in a lab, they can’t say for certain that the nuts alone did the trick.

Still, the advice lines up with what heart experts already say. Both the American Heart Association and European heart doctors recommend nuts as part of a healthy diet – alongside plenty of fruit, veg, whole grains and beans.

The takeaway – you don’t need a supplement, a punishing fad diet or a pricey subscription. A daily handful of plain nuts – almonds, walnuts, cashews, whatever you fancy – could be a cheap, easy win your heart will thank you for.

Notes for editors:

Plant-Based Health Professionals UK is a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving human and planetary health through evidence-based whole-food plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine. By educating healthcare professionals and the public, it supports the prevention and management of chronic disease while recognising the interconnected health of people, animals, and the environment.

Research: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/nut-consumption-and-the-risk-of-hypertension-a-systematic-review-and-dose-response-metaanalysis-of-prospective-studies/F598AFD9FD35B00A41A428C9D65F2C14

Journal: British Journal of Nutrition

For more information please e-mail: media@pbhp.uk