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Nutrients
Volume 18
Issue 3
10.3390/nu18030536
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Article

Plant-Based Diets and Ovarian Cancer Risk

by
Giovanna Esposito
1,2,*,
Federica Turati
1,
Silvia Mignozzi
1,
Fabio Parazzini
1,
Livia S. A. Augustin
3,
Sara Vitale
3,
Jerry Polesel
4,
Luigino Dal Maso
4,
Eva Negri
5 and
Carlo La Vecchia
1
1
Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Dipartimento di Eccellenza 2023–2027, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
2
Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
3
Epidemiology and Biostatistic Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, IRCCS “Fondazione G. Pascale”, 80131 Naples, Italy
4
Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy
5
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Nutrients 2026, 18(3), 536; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030536
Submission received: 24 December 2025 / Revised: 26 January 2026 / Accepted: 3 February 2026 / Published: 5 February 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Female Reproductive Cancer: Nutrition and Wellness Perspectives)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Objective: To assess the relationship between adherence to various plant-based diets, as measured by overall, healthy, and unhealthy plant-based diet indices (PDI, hPDI, uPDI), and ovarian cancer risk. Methods: We obtained data on 1031 cases of ovarian cancer and 2411 controls from a case-control study conducted in Italy. PDI, hPDI, and uPDI were calculated using data from a validated food frequency questionnaire. We used logistic regression to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of ovarian cancer for PDI, hPDI, and uPDI, adjusting for several possible confounders. Results: PDI and hPDI were inversely related to ovarian cancer risk (OR = 0.70 for the fourth compared to the first quartile, 95% CI: 0.55–0.89, and OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.53–0.84, respectively). On the other hand, a higher uPDI was related to a higher risk of ovarian cancer (OR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.40–2.28). The estimates for a 5-point increment in the indices were 0.88 (95% CI: 0.81–0.95) for PDI, 0.90 (95% CI: 0.83–0.96) for hPDI, and 1.15 (95% CI: 1.07–1.23) for uPDI. Consistent associations for the three indices were observed across strata of age, family history of breast/ovarian cancer, educational level, parity, oral contraceptives use, and menopausal status. Conclusions: Plant-based diets favorably influence ovarian cancer risk; plant-based diets characterized by a high intake of unhealthy plant foods are linked to an increased risk. Promoting diets rich in healthy plant foods could support the reduction of ovarian cancer risk.
Keywords: ovarian cancer; plant-based diet; case-control study; dietary patterns ovarian cancer; plant-based diet; case-control study; dietary patterns

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MDPI and ACS Style

Esposito, G.; Turati, F.; Mignozzi, S.; Parazzini, F.; Augustin, L.S.A.; Vitale, S.; Polesel, J.; Dal Maso, L.; Negri, E.; La Vecchia, C. Plant-Based Diets and Ovarian Cancer Risk. Nutrients 2026, 18, 536. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030536

AMA Style

Esposito G, Turati F, Mignozzi S, Parazzini F, Augustin LSA, Vitale S, Polesel J, Dal Maso L, Negri E, La Vecchia C. Plant-Based Diets and Ovarian Cancer Risk. Nutrients. 2026; 18(3):536. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030536

Chicago/Turabian Style

Esposito, Giovanna, Federica Turati, Silvia Mignozzi, Fabio Parazzini, Livia S. A. Augustin, Sara Vitale, Jerry Polesel, Luigino Dal Maso, Eva Negri, and Carlo La Vecchia. 2026. "Plant-Based Diets and Ovarian Cancer Risk" Nutrients 18, no. 3: 536. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030536

APA Style

Esposito, G., Turati, F., Mignozzi, S., Parazzini, F., Augustin, L. S. A., Vitale, S., Polesel, J., Dal Maso, L., Negri, E., & La Vecchia, C. (2026). Plant-Based Diets and Ovarian Cancer Risk. Nutrients, 18(3), 536. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030536

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