Men who consume more calories seem to be at higher risk of prostate cancer, report researchers in a recent study.The team from Johns Hopkins University in the US assessed energy intake from all foods among a cohort of 444 middle-aged men in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Those with the highest calorie intake were nearly four times as likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The findings were based on men aged 45 to 92 years old who completed food questionnaires. A total of 68 men developed prostate cancer either during the study or afterwards.
The researchers found that total energy intake was positively associated with prostate cancer. Compared with those with the lowest energy intake, those eating the most calories, around 2,600 calories a day, were 3.8 times more likely to develop the cancer.
Previous studies have suggested that diets high in animal fat may raise risk of the disease. However in this study, results were not dependant on food types, such as calorie intake from protein, fat or carbohydrates, but rather the total amount of calories in the diet.