In a study published in The Annals of Family Medicine, researchers explored whether diets with high glycemic index (GI) or high glycemic load (GL) are linked to lung cancer risk.
The study analyzed data from 101,732 U.S. adults who participated in the National Cancer Institute’s Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial cohort.
These participants filled out detailed dietary questionnaires between 1993 and 2001.
Participants were followed for approximately 12 years to monitor lung cancer development. Researchers then compared lung cancer rates among people with the highest GI and GL diets to those with the lowest, adjusting for smoking and other relevant factors.
The study found that People with the highest glycemic index diets had a 13% higher risk of developing lung cancer compared to those with the lowest GI diets.
This included increased risks for both non–small cell and small cell lung cancer.
In contrast, individuals consuming diets with the highest glycemic load had a 28% lower overall risk of lung cancer compared to those with the lowest GL.
The reduced risk was evident for non–small cell lung cancer, but no clear link was found for small cell lung cancer.
The findings suggest that diets low in high glycemic index foods and rich in high-quality carbohydrates—like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains—may be associated with a lower risk of lung cancer.
If you care about lung health, please read studies about marijuana’s effects on lung health, and why some non-smokers get lung disease and some heavy smokers do not.
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