Sustainable Diets and Cancer: a Systematic Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review aimed to investigate the association of sustainable diets in relation to cancer risk, cancer recurrence, and cancer-specific mortality in adults. RECENT FINDINGS: More than 500 articles were initially identified. Nine articles were eligible for inclusion, presenting data from 8 prospective cohort studies, conducted in Europe and the USA. The sustainability indicators investigated were greenhouse gas emissions, food biodiversity, land use, exposure to pesticides or organic food consumption, and the EAT-Lancet diet. One study reported a sustainability index that combined multiple sustainability indicators. A modest inverse association between higher adherence to sustainable diets and cancer incidence or cancer mortality was observed in most studies. SUMMARY: While sustainable diets may decrease cancer risk or mortality, the reviewed studies were heterogeneous regarding sustainability indicators and cancer outcomes. A common definition of dietary sustainability would facilitate better generalization of future research findings. Also, studies among non-western populations are needed. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13668-022-00442-z.