Early morning myth-busting around Diet and Cancer

A recent survey of over 1000 Irish cancer survivors reported more than half (56%) felt confused by nutrition information available in the media and offered by people around them¹. Almost 4 in 10 (37%) were following, or had tried, alternative diets from restricting certain foods to herbal remedies, juicing or detoxes, and 3 in 10 (32%) reported avoiding specific foods like processed meat or dairy¹.

INDI Communications Manager appeared on IrelandAM this morning with Dr David Robert Grimes to discuss misinformation around diet and cancer. Click on the link below to watch back.

https://www.virginmediatelevision.ie/player/show/809/196327/0/Ireland-AM

In response to the lack of scientific based information available to cancer patients and the general public interested in the link between diet and cancer, and the sometimes-dangerous alternative diets that people experiment with, Breakthrough Cancer Research and University College Cork have published a new booklet that delves into ‘The Truth Behind Food and Cancer’ which was released today at the Irish Association for Cancer Research annual conference.

Written and compiled by senior cancer/oncology dietitians Dr. Aoife Ryan, UCC, and Clodagh Scannell RD, along with consultant medical oncologist Dr Derek Power and research nutritionist Michelle Hanna BSc, UCC, it provides accurate information on fad diets that have not yet been proven to be safe or effective in the prevention or treatment of cancer. It exposes the most common myths and misconceptions around the links between food and cancer, and offers simple explanations and advice based on medical evidence.