Researchers studied nearly 190,000 people from the UK to understand how different eating patterns might affect lung cancer risk. Over about 9 years, they tracked what people ate and who developed lung cancer. They found that people who ate more fruits and vegetables had lower lung cancer risk, while those who ate more meat had slightly higher risk. The study suggests that foods that cause inflammation in your body—measured by something called a dietary inflammatory index—may be connected to lung cancer development. This research adds to growing evidence that healthy eating patterns matter for cancer prevention.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether the types of food people eat—especially foods that cause inflammation in the body—are connected to developing lung cancer
  • Who participated: Nearly 190,000 people from the UK Biobank (a large health study) who answered detailed questions about what they ate. During the study, 1,041 of these people developed lung cancer
  • Key finding: People who ate the most fruits and vegetables had about 22% lower lung cancer risk compared to those who ate the least. People who ate the most meat had about 18% higher risk. Foods that cause more inflammation in the body were linked to higher lung cancer risk
  • What it means for you: Eating more fruits and vegetables and less processed meat may help reduce lung cancer risk, though this doesn’t guarantee prevention. This is especially important information for people concerned about lung cancer risk

The Research Details

This was a prospective cohort study, which means researchers followed the same group of people over time and tracked what happened to them. All 189,561 participants answered detailed questions about everything they ate in a single day, and researchers used this information to calculate a ‘dietary inflammatory index’—basically a score showing how much their diet causes inflammation in the body. The researchers then followed these people for an average of 9.45 years and recorded who developed lung cancer. They used statistical methods to figure out whether people with higher inflammatory diets or different eating patterns had higher or lower lung cancer rates, while accounting for other factors like smoking, age, and exercise.

This study design is valuable because it follows real people over many years in their normal lives, rather than testing something in a lab. By measuring diet before people got sick, researchers could see if diet actually came before the disease, which helps prove cause-and-effect relationships. The large number of participants (nearly 190,000) makes the results more reliable and trustworthy

This study has several strengths: it’s very large, it followed people for many years, and researchers adjusted for many other factors that could affect lung cancer risk (like smoking). However, people reported their own diet from memory, which can be imperfect. The study was published in Scientific Reports, a well-respected journal. The findings are based on real-world observations, not controlled experiments, so we can’t be 100% certain diet caused the differences in cancer risk

What the Results Show

The study found three main eating patterns in the data: one focused on fruits and vegetables, one on cereals and processed foods, and one on meat. People who ate the most fruits and vegetables (top third) had a 22% lower risk of lung cancer compared to those who ate the least (bottom third). This difference was statistically significant, meaning it’s unlikely to be due to chance. The fruits and vegetables pattern showed the strongest protective effect against lung cancer. In contrast, people who ate the most meat had an 18% higher lung cancer risk than those who ate the least meat. The cereals and processed foods pattern didn’t show a clear connection to lung cancer risk—it was roughly the same whether people ate a lot or a little of these foods.

The researchers also looked at the dietary inflammatory index, which measures how much a person’s overall diet causes inflammation in their body. They found that people with higher inflammatory diets (top third) had a 17% higher lung cancer risk than those with lower inflammatory diets (bottom third). Interestingly, the fruits and vegetables eating pattern was strongly connected to lower inflammation scores, suggesting that eating more fruits and vegetables reduces inflammation, which may be one reason it protects against lung cancer

These findings fit well with existing research showing that fruits and vegetables protect against cancer, and that processed and red meat may increase cancer risk. The connection between diet-related inflammation and cancer is also supported by other studies. However, this is one of the larger studies specifically looking at how dietary inflammation patterns relate to lung cancer risk, making it a valuable addition to the scientific evidence

People reported what they ate based on memory, which isn’t perfectly accurate. The study only measured diet once at the beginning, so researchers didn’t know if people’s eating habits changed over the 9+ years of follow-up. Most participants were white and from the UK, so results might not apply equally to other populations. The study shows associations (connections) but can’t prove that diet directly causes cancer risk—other unmeasured factors could be involved. Lung cancer has many causes (smoking is the biggest), so diet is just one piece of the puzzle

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, eating more fruits and vegetables and less red and processed meat appears to be beneficial for lung cancer risk reduction (moderate confidence). These changes also support overall health. However, diet is just one factor—if you smoke or have other lung cancer risk factors, quitting smoking and talking to your doctor about screening is more important. These dietary changes take time to show benefits and work best as part of a long-term healthy lifestyle

This research is relevant for anyone concerned about cancer prevention, especially those with family history of lung cancer or other risk factors. It’s particularly important for people who currently smoke or used to smoke. The findings apply to adults in general, though the study population was mostly from the UK. People with existing lung cancer should consult their doctors about diet, as recommendations may differ

Cancer prevention is a long-term process. You wouldn’t expect to see dramatic health changes in weeks or months. Research suggests that consistent healthy eating patterns over years may reduce risk. Benefits for overall health (energy, digestion, weight) might appear within weeks to months, but cancer risk reduction takes years of sustained healthy habits

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily servings of fruits and vegetables (aim for 5+ servings) and portions of red/processed meat (aim to reduce). Use the app to log meals and get a weekly summary showing your fruit and vegetable intake versus meat consumption
  • Start by adding one extra fruit or vegetable serving to each meal this week. Replace one red meat meal with fish, chicken, or plant-based protein. Use the app’s meal suggestions feature to discover new fruit and vegetable recipes that appeal to you
  • Weekly check-ins on fruit and vegetable servings and meat portions. Monthly reviews of overall dietary patterns. Track any energy or digestive changes you notice. Set a goal to gradually increase fruits/vegetables to 5+ servings daily over 2-3 months

This research shows an association between diet and lung cancer risk but does not prove diet alone causes or prevents lung cancer. Lung cancer has multiple causes, with smoking being the primary risk factor. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice. If you have concerns about lung cancer risk, family history of cancer, or current health conditions, please consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian. Anyone diagnosed with or at high risk for lung cancer should work with their medical team on personalized prevention and treatment strategies. This study was conducted in a UK population and may not apply equally to all groups.