Tuesday Aug 23, 2016 (foodconsumer.org) -- Eating too much dairy products and red meat may increase risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, according to a new study published in Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology.

The study meta-analyzed data from 33 observational studies published prior to 2014 and found consumption of red meat and dairy products was associated with 22% and 26% increased risk for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, respectively.

In contrast, eating fish and seafood was found inversely associated with the risk of multiple myeloma (the reduction in the risk was up to 29%).

The study was based on observational studies which cannot prove eating red meat and dairy products was the cause for the elevated risk for non-Hodgkin lyphoma although the risk was not excluded either.  Regardless, eating too much protein, particularly protein from animals is not a healthy dietary habit. (David Liu)

Saverio Caini, Giovanna Masala, , Patrizia Gnagnarell, , Ilaria Ermini, , William Russell-Edu, , Domenico Palli, , Sara Gandini, Food of animal origin and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma: A review of the literature and meta-analysis, Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, Volume 100, April 2016, Pages 16–24