Scientists find why poor diet increases risk

• Poor diet can increase the risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
• Experts have not yet found any firm causative links between individual dietary components and cancer.
• A new study has discovered that methylglyoxal — which is produced when glucose is broken down in cells — may help explain the link between poor diet and cancer.
• They suggest that a long-term poor diet leads to an increase in the production of methylglyoxal, which switches off cancer-preventing genes, increasing cancer risk.

Poor nutrition is associated with many health conditions, among them obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancers, including those of the breast, uterus, and large intestine. High intakes of sodium, saturated fats, and sugars can increase the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, but what links diet and cancer is less clear.

Although many foods are said to be associated with increased or decreased cancer risk, according to the National Cancer Institute, no studies have yet shown that any dietary component directly causes or protects against cancer.

Now, a study from the National University of Singapore, published in Cell, has discovered a mechanism that may help to explain why poor diet increases cancer risk.

In cell studies, the researchers found that methylglyoxal, which is produced when cells break down glucose to release energy, can inhibit genes that protect against cancer. They suggest that poor diet leads to higher levels of methylglyoxal, increasing the likelihood of cancer.

“This study suggests a potential correlation between high levels of methylglyoxal, a metabolic by-product, and a genetic mutation pattern seen in some cancers. It is an interesting area to explore further, but we need further lab research and clinical testing to conclusively establish if methylglyoxal levels are directly linked to cancer risk.”
— Dr. Tayyaba Jiwani, science engagement manager at Cancer Research UK, who was not…