Thinking beyond meat

For many Americans, meals center around the meat. After all the Department of Agriculture reports that 222 pounds of meat are sold per person per year in the U.S.

But when researchers asked nearly 70,000 volunteers about their diets, then tracked them over time, they found lower cancer rates among people who didn't eat meat at all.

In fact, vegans — those who don't eat any animal products including fish, dairy or eggs — appeared to have the lowest rates of cancer of any diet. Next in line were vegetarians, who avoid meat but may eat fish or foods that come from animals, such as milk or eggs.

But it's important to note that eating meat — or not — wasn't the only difference between people who did or didn't get cancer. People diagnosed with cancer also had a higher body mass index, were less active and were more likely to have smoked.