Diets heavy in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains linked to lung cancer risk

A new study produced what is likely to be a surprising result for many people who try to eat healthily. Researchers from USC’s Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center found non-smoking Americans under 50 who eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are at a greater risk of developing lung cancer. 

What they're saying:

"These counter-intuitive findings raise important questions about an unknown environmental risk factor for lung cancer related to otherwise beneficial food that needs to be addressed," said Jorge Nieva, a medical oncologist and lung cancer specialist with USC Norris and lead investigator of the study. 

Big picture view:

When revealing the results, researchers posited that the reason may be less what’s in those foods than what’s on them: pesticides. They pointed out that commercially-produced fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that are not organic are more likely to have more pesticide residue than dairy, meat, or some processed foods.

Dig deeper:

Young women who do not smoke are diagnosed with lung cancer at a higher rate than men as well, the study noted. It added that women’s diets typically include more produce and whole grains. 

Nieva explained that more work will need to be done on the link between pesticides and lung cancer, especially in women. He pointed out that the study did not test foods for pesticides and said the next step would be to confirm the connection by testing pesticide levels in patients.