Enjoy a widE variEty of nutritious foods
39Guideline 2
required to produce health benefits, long-term efficacy, and the relative effect of legume foods, including of
soy-based foods themselves, as opposed to food components such as isoflavones.
Cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and excess weight
• Cardiovascular disease: recent evidence suggests that consumption of soy foods is associated with reduced
total cholesterol and LdL cholesterol levels, as markers for coronary heart disease risk (Grade C; Evidence
report, section 7.4).^392
• Type 2 diabetes: no recent studies of the relationship between legumes/beans and type 2 diabetes were identified.
• Excess weight: no recent studies of the relationship between legumes/beans and weight loss were identified.393-395
Cancer
• Colorectal cancer: Evidence suggests that consuming legumes is associated with reduced risk of colorectal
cancer (Grade C; Evidence report, section 7.3).396-400 However, in one study the effect was only significant
for women,^399 as also seen in the recent analysis of the European Prospective investigation into Cancer and
nutrition (EPiC) database.^401 However no evidence of an association between consumption of legumes and
colorectal cancer was described in the wCrf report (see appendix f).^43
• Other cancers: recent evidence is limited and/or inconclusive for an association regarding legume/bean
consumption and breast or prostate cancer (Evidence report, sections 7.1 and 7.2). similar limited associations
have been described in the wCrf report (see appendix f).^43 an insufficient number of studies were available
to form an evidence statement on legume/bean consumption and gastric cancer. However the wCrf report
found limited evidence of a relationship between the consumption of legumes and a decreased risk of gastric
cancer (see appendix f).^43
Other conditions
recent evidence is limited and/or inconclusive regarding an association between consumption of soy foods and
bone fracture in post-menopausal women, cerebral and myocardial infarction, and mortality due to cardiovascular
disease and hypertension.
2.2.4 The evidence for consuming ‘fruit’
Evidence for the health advantages of including fruit in the diet has been strong for decades, but has strengthened
considerably recently, particularly for cardiovascular disease. there is also increasing evidence of a protective
effect against a number of chronic diseases for consumption of vegetables and fruit when considered together
(see appendix j). Protective effects are increasingly described in quantitative terms, although different serve sizes
have been used in different studies, which make comparison difficult, while findings about dose response are not
always consistent across studies.
Table 2.4: Evidence statements for consuming ‘fruit’
Evidence statement Grade
Consumption of each additional daily serve of fruit is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. B
Consumption of at least one and a half serves of fruit a day, ideally two and a half or more, is associated with
reduced risk of stroke.
B
Consumption of fruit is associated with a reduced risk of obesity and weight gain. C
Consumption of fruit is associated with a reduced risk of oral and nasopharyngeal cancer C
Notes: Grades – A: convincing association, B: probable association, C: suggestive association
Includes evidence statements and gradings from the Evidence Report (literature from years 2002–2009). Does not include evidence from
other sources, such as the 2003 edition of the dietary guidelines (in which individual studies were classified according to their design as
level I, II or III but overall grades for relationships were not derived), although these sources have been used to inform these Guidelines.
Grade C evidence statements showing no association and all Grade D statements can be found in Appendix E.