Women who always or mostly eat organic foods grown without pesticides are no less likely to develop cancer than women who eat a more conventional diet, according to a recent study conducted by Cancer Research UK scientists.
These researchers commented that the results were "particularly relevant' given that health concerns have been identified as the primary motivation for consumers' purchase Of organic food. Professor Tim Key said; "We don't see any difference in the total risk Of any type Of cancer, depending on whether people said they choose organic food. It's a very large study so the Overall result is very reliable. "
Past studies have inconclusively suggested that pesticides could increase the risk of cancer . Pesticides are widely used in agriculture, although there are limits to the amount of residue(残留物) that can be present in rood. The researchers asked around 623 , 080 women aged SO Or over about whether they ate organic foods, and then tracked the development of 16 of the most common types of cancer over a nine-year period. They found no difference in overall cancer risk when comparing the 180, 000 women who reported never eating organically grown food with around 45, 000 women who said they usually or always eat organic food.
However, differences did emerge with respect to breast cancer and non-Hodgkinlymphoma(非霍奇金淋巴瘤) when they looked at the results for the 16 types of cancer individually. The researchers found a small increase in risk for breast cancer but a 21* reduction in the risk for non-Hodgkinlymphoma in women who mostly ate organic food.
As the analysis of individual cancers involved smaller numbers, Key said that the results less reliable and could be down to "chance" or other factors, but given previous studies had suggested a link between pesticides and non-Hodgkinlymphoma, it would be worth investigating more closely.
Peter Melchett, director of policy at the Soil Association, Which promotes the trade body for organic food and farming, launched a wide-ranging attack on the study. He said it was strange that the 21% decrease in non-Hodgkinlymphoma was being "so readily dismissed" by Cancer Research UK, and said the reasons for buying organic foods varied, and ranged from the benefits to wildlife to the fact that organic standards prohibit GM crops and ingredients and controversial artificial food colors. "People also buy organic to reduce their exposure to pesticides—320 of which can be routinely used in non-organic farming . " He also claimed that the study had a number of weaknesses compared With Other research, including that women's and the amount of physical activity they took part in were only measured once during the study.
How is this study in relation to previous studies ?
A.It took quite a longer time than previous studies.我来回答:
