Gardening, salads reduce lung cancer risk

HOUSTON, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Eating salad four times a week and working in the garden may reduce the risk of lung cancer for smokers and non-smokers, suggest U.S. researchers.

Researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston looked at salad consumption and gardening because, "salad is a marker for the consumption of many vegetables and gardening -- once or twice a week -- is an activity in which smokers and non-smokers can participate."

Lead author Michele R. Forman used data from an ongoing M.D. Anderson case-control study involving more than 3,800 participants. Separate epidemiologic risk prediction models were developed for current and former smokers as well as for those who have never smoked.

The baseline lung cancer prediction model had moderate risk protection, but by including diet and physical activity lung cancer risk was improved to 64 percent, 67 percent and 71 percent respectively for never, former and current smokers.

"This finding is exciting because it is applicable to everyone, including never-smokers who may develop lung cancer," Forman said in a statement.

The other factors for lung cancer risk prediction include: exposure to secondhand smoke and dust, family history of cancer and the patient's history of respiratory disease and smoking, Forman said.