Dietary Intake of Fruit and Vegetables and Risk of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Frequent consumption of cruciferous and green leafy vegetables may help fight off non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

​This study assessed the likelihood of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) among high consumers of fruits and vegetables. The dietary habits and incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a study group comprising of 348 patients with the disease and 470 healthy individuals were obtained using validated food frequency questionnaires and hospital records respectively. 

Researchers discovered that as the rate of consumption of cruciferous and green leafy vegetables increased, the odds of acquiring non-Hodgkin's lymphoma declined significantly. On the other hand, high dietary ingestion of retinol, found only in animal-sourced foods, increased the likelihood of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This study revealed that greater intake of green leafy and cruciferous vegetables may help thwart the development of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.