Fat Intake after Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

Vegetable Fats

Men who ate the most vegetable fats after diagnosis had a 36% lower risk of having lethal prostate cancer, and replacing 10% of calories from carbohydrates with vegetable fat was associated with a 29% lower risk of lethal prostate cancer. Men who consumed more vegetable fat also had a lower risk of all-cause mortality.

Sources of vegetable fats included oils and nuts. Eating these foods increases plasma antioxidants and reduces circulating insulin, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, inflammatory markers and markers of oxidative stress. This may affect progression of prostate cancer.

Heart-Healthy Diet

Nearly one-third of the 4,577 men in the study died of cardiovascular disease, making this the leading cause of death for this group. Men who ate more saturated and trans fats after diagnosis were associated with higher all-cause mortality. The authors said that their findings support encouraging men with prostate cancer to eat a heart-healthy diet and replace carbohydrate calories with unsaturated oils and nuts.

Richman EL., et al. Fat intake after diagnosis and risk of lethal prostate cancer and all-cause mortality. JAMA Intern Med. 2013; 173(14):1318-26.