Only 20% of Men Know Consuming Dairy Products Can Increase Prostate Cancer Risk, Finds New Survey

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ahead of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in September, a new survey finds that just 20% of men know that consuming milk and other dairy products can increase the risk of prostate cancer. After learning about the increased risk, 66% said they are likely to avoid dairy products.

The survey, conducted by Morning Consult for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine among 1,102 U.S. men, also found that only 20% of men have received information from a healthcare professional regarding the link between nutrition and prostate cancer risk.

“Physicians and other healthcare professionals need more education on the dangers of dairy products and the benefits of a plant-based diet for prostate cancer,” says Noah Praamsma, MS, RDN, a dietitian and nutrition education coordinator with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

High intakes of dairy products, including milk and cheese, increase the risk for prostate cancer, according to a meta-analysis that included 32 studies. In one study, those who had one or more servings a day of skim or low-fat milk had a 19% increased risk of prostate cancer, compared with those who rarely consumed it. In another study that followed 3,612 men for 8-10 years, men consuming the most low-fat dairy (about 3 servings per day) were more than twice as likely to develop prostate cancer than men who had the lowest dairy intake (less than 1 serving per day).

Milk and other dairy products may also increase the risk of prostate cancer mortality. In a meta-analysis of 11 studies that encompassed more than 700,000 participants and assessed dairy intake and cancer mortality rates, male participants who consumed the most whole milk increased their risk of death from prostate cancer by as much as 50%, compared with those who consumed the least amount. 

Given the prostate cancer risk associated with dairy products, 76% of men surveyed support requiring warning labels on dairy products to inform people about prostate cancer risk.

“The good news is that most men surveyed knew that consuming fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans can help protect them against prostate cancer,” adds Praamsma, “and research shows that consuming a 100% plant-based diet is the most beneficial.” 

The Adventist Health Study-2 found that men who followed a vegan diet had a 35% lower prostate cancer risk than those following a nonvegetarian, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, or semi-vegetarian diet. A study of more than 2,000 men with prostate cancer found that those who ate the most plant-based foods had a 56% lower risk of prostate cancer progression and a 59% lower risk of prostate cancer recurrence compared with those who ate the least.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society’s 2024 annual report, as well as the second most common cause of cancer deaths. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 333,830 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States in 2026 and 36,320 deaths from prostate cancer.