Nutrition, metabolic health, cancer and NCDs

In this presentation, Elio Riboli explores the relationship between cancer and diet.  Up until around 20 years ago, it was believed that most cancers developed because of the presence of carcinogens such as chemicals, viruses and parasites. 

More recent research has investigated whether the dysregulation of endogenous metabolic processes is sufficient to trigger cancer.  Extensive long-term lifestyle studies into half a million people in Europe since the early 1990s have demonstrated that the driving force of cancer development are metabolic factors which are influenced by diet and physical activity.

Anti-tobacco campaigns of recent decades have demonstrated that a combination of personal lifestyle choices and societal interventions can save lives.  The food industry has an opportunity to play a pivotal role in preventing cancers of the digestive system by promoting healthy nutrition, based on scientific evidence.