High GI foods linked to lung cancer – study

WHITE bread, cornflakes, potatoes and popcorn are among foods that dramatically increase the chance of developing lung cancer, doctors have warned.

The largest study of its kind found people who feasted on such foods were up to 2.25 times as likely to develop the disease as those who did not. And despite lung cancer being associated with smoking, the effect was particularly clear among non-smokers.

Foods with a high glycaemic index (GI) are broken down quickly, causing rapid rises and falls in blood sugar levels that can fuel hunger and weight gain. Now they have been linked to lung cancer, which kills more people than any other form of the disease.

The University of Texas researchers quizzed almost 3 500 people, including lung cancer patients, about their diet and lifestyle. Comparing the habits of the cancer patients with the healthy individuals flagged up a clear link with high-GI foods.

Those who ate the most such foods increased their chance of developing the disease by 49 percent compared with those who consumed the least. But the risk of one type of lung cancer was almost doubled. Researcher Dr Stephanie Melkonian said it is probable that the high blood sugar levels caused by high-GI foods trigger changes in hormones called insulin-like growth factors, which are thought to fuel tumours.

Low-GI foods include most fruit, beans, vegetables, unprocessed grains and wholemeal bread. However, not all healthy foods have a low GI. Chocolate cake, for example, has a lower GI than watermelon and parsnips. – Daily Mail