Obesity, cancer and psychopathology: Can vegetarian diet be of help?

Abstract

High body mass index, low fruit and vegetable intake, physical inactivity, tobacco use, alcohol use and unsafe sex are six behaviorally modifiable risk factors potentially involved in increased cancer rates observed during recent years. Numerous epidemiological and experimental data are now beginning to point out that the functions of the central nervous system may also be detrimentally effected by these risk factors, and that complex psychobiological processes are involved in obesity associated comorbidities. Several phytochemicals commonly consumed with fruits and vegetables are known since long to possess chemopreventive as well as beneficial effects on cognitive functions. However, as yet little concentrated efforts have been made to properly understand the health benefits of diverse combinations of phytochemicals commonly consumed with every day meals. Available information on health benefits of some vegetables in obesity associated carcinogenesis are summarized and discussed in short in this chapter. It is concluded that at old fashioned holistic pharmacological approaches could be helpful for identifying effective safe and affordable nutraceuticals and drug leads urgently needed for combating oncological problems associated with obesity.