New Research Suggests Fruits And Vegetables May Increase Cancer Risk

A new study, conducted by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC), claimed that diets high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may be linked to an increased risk of lung cancer in young non-smokers. Researchers say the culprit isn't the produce itself, but residual pesticides used on conventionally grown crops.

The study, based on dietary analysis, smoking and demographic data for 187 patients, was presented at the American Association for Cancer Research's 2026 annual meeting. These patients were diagnosed with lung cancer at age 50 or younger.

Using the Healthy Eating Index, which scores diet quality out of 100, researchers found the participants averaged 65, which is well above the US average of 57.

The young patients ate more servings of dark green vegetables, legumes and whole grains than typical Americans. Women in the group had especially high scores.

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"Commercially produced (non-organic) fruits, vegetables and whole grains are more likely to be associated with a higher residue of pesticides than dairy, meat and many processed foods," Jorge Nieva, MD, of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center at Keck Medicine, who led the study, said as quoted by Fox News Digital.

The researchers suggest that pesticides applied to conventionally grown produce could be the reason behind the disease association. Nieva also noted that agricultural workers exposed to pesticides tend to have higher rates of lung cancer.

"There is a large subset of lung cancer patients whose disease is not caused by smoking," Nieva said as quoted.

As per the study, cancer is becoming more common in non-smokers 50 and younger, especially women. "These patients tend to have eaten much healthier diets before their diagnosis than the average American," he added.

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"We need to support research into understanding why Americans - and women in particular - who no longer smoke very much are still having lung cancer," he said.

"Also, the survey participants were self-selected, and this could have biased the findings," he added.

Previous research has tied the increase to air pollution and hormone-disrupting chemicals. The new data suggests diet, specifically pesticide exposure from the so-called healthy foods, could be another factor.