Eating more cheese raises cancer risk

EATING large portions of cheese on a regular basis could increase the risk of bladder cancer, according to new research. Scientists found the risk increased by more than 50 per cent in those who ate more than 53g, or around 1.8oz a day - roughly the same weight as a small chocolate bar. But eating less than that did not appear to increase the dangers. A daily portion of olive oil, on the other hand, can more than halve the risk of getting the disease. The results, published in the European Journal of Cancer, come from a study looking at how dietary fats influence a persons chances of getting bladder cancer. Around 10,000 people a year in the UK fall victim to the disease and smokers are four times more likely to get it than non-smokers. Other risk factors include exposure to harmful chemicals in the workplace and repeated bouts of bladder infections. But studies have produced conflicting evidence on whether different types of fats prevent cancer or increase the chances of it occurring. In the latest investigation, a team of Dutch and Belgian researchers set out to discover if saturated fats, such as those found in meat and dairy products, made cancer more likely while healthier fats, such as olive oil, offered some protection. They studied the eating habits of 200 bladder cancer victims and compared them with 386 volunteers who had not developed tumours. Agencies

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