These habits are silently 'nurturing' stomach cancer.

Doctors warn that mistakes in eating habits and lifestyle can cause long-term stomach damage and increase the risk of cancer.

Besides alcoholic beverages, many familiar Vietnamese dishes have been warned to potentially promote the progression of stomach cancer. Photo: Dianping .

According to GLOBOCAN 2022 data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO), stomach cancer ranks 5th globally in terms of new cases with 968,784 cases, and also ranks 5th in terms of deaths with 660,175 people each year. In Vietnam, this disease is also among the top 5 most common cancers, recording 16,277 new cases and 13,264 deaths annually.

Notably, more than half of patients are diagnosed at a late stage, with deeply invasive tumors or metastases, significantly reducing the chances of curative treatment.

The hidden "culprits"

Speaking with Tri Thức - Znews , Master of Science, Doctor Duong Thi Phuong, Department of Nutrition, University Medical Center - Linh Dam branch ( Hanoi ), said that stomach cancer is one of the gastrointestinal cancers with an increasing trend. Among the risk factors, diet is a modifiable risk factor, with the strongest evidence linking salt-preserved foods, high alcohol consumption, and overweight/obesity.

People who regularly eat foods high in salt, such as salted fish, cured meat, canned goods, smoked foods, or processed foods, have a higher than normal risk of developing stomach cancer.

Sausages, bacon, ham, and cold cuts contain many preservatives. Photo: Cocciatartufi.

Processed meats such as sausages, bacon, ham, or cold cuts are often treated with salt, nitrites, smoking, or other preservation methods. These processes may involve the formation of or exposure to nitrogen nitrosamines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are potentially carcinogenic.

Furthermore, consuming too much red meat also increases the risk of gastrointestinal cancers, especially colorectal cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IRAC) notes that consuming 100 grams of red meat per day increases the risk of colorectal cancer by approximately 17-18%.

In particular, cooking food at high temperatures, such as grilling or deep-frying in a lot of oil, can form heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These substances have the potential to cause DNA changes in experimental studies, so it is advisable to limit consumption of burnt or charred food and prioritize milder cooking methods such as boiling or steaming.

Besides diet, prolonged Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection can cause chronic inflammation, mucosal atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, and increase the risk of stomach cancer, especially when accompanied by smoking, a high-salt diet, or a family history.

Dr. Duong Thi Phuong, MD, Department of Nutrition, University Medical Center - Linh Dam campus. Photo: Provided by the doctor.

In addition, according to Dr. Phuong, being overweight or obese also increases the risk of gastric cancer in the cardia region.

Alcohol is also a factor that cannot be ignored. Abuse of alcoholic beverages is linked to many digestive diseases, especially stomach and esophageal problems. Specifically, alcohol is rapidly absorbed through the stomach. When consumed in large quantities over a long period, it can damage the stomach lining, causing chronic inflammation and ulcers, and increasing the risk of cancer.

Not only food, but also lifestyle habits and psychology greatly affect the stomach. According to Dr. Phuong, prolonged stress, eating too quickly, eating while working, or lying down immediately after eating can worsen symptoms of indigestion, bloating, and reflux in some people.

However, these are not risk factors for stomach cancer with strong evidence like H. pylori, salt-preserved foods, alcohol, smoking, and obesity.

"Eating quickly and not chewing thoroughly reduces the effectiveness of digestive enzyme secretion, leading to poor nutrient absorption. Additionally, eating late at night or going to bed immediately after eating is also harmful. Since food needs 4-6 hours to be completely digested in the stomach, eating late at night and going to bed before digestion is complete can easily lead to reflux, difficulty sleeping, and other health problems," the nutritionist said.

Helicobacter pylori bacteria, salty foods, and prolonged stress are considered leading factors that increase the risk of stomach cancer. Photo: Viet Linh.

Principles to help protect your stomach

To reduce the risk of stomach diseases and cancer, nutritionists recommend maintaining a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

The key principle is to eat on time, have enough meals, and never skip breakfast. Maintaining regular meal times, including breakfast, can help prevent excessive hunger, overeating, and digestive discomfort in some people.

People should limit processed foods, greasy foods, and foods that are too salty or smoked. They should also avoid habits such as eating while working, eating too quickly, or being distracted while eating.

Eating slowly and chewing thoroughly not only aids digestion but also helps create a feeling of fullness, preventing overeating.

For people with stomach problems like ulcers, doctors recommend avoiding getting too hungry or eating too much at once, limiting alcohol, tobacco, and overly spicy or acidic foods if they worsen symptoms, and following their doctor's treatment instructions. Meals should be divided into smaller portions throughout the day. Some starchy foods like bread can help absorb some of the stomach acid.

In addition, people should improve their diet with a balanced intake of fish, nuts, green vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, and legumes.

Source: https://znews.vn/thoi-quen-dang-am-tham-nuoi-duong-ung-thu-da-day-post1648749.html