Most US Men Don't Know Dairy Is Linked to Prostate Cancer Risk, Survey Finds

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and a new survey finds that most American men do not know eating dairy products is linked to a higher risk of prostate cancer. Only 20% of 1,102 U.S. men surveyed by Morning Consult for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) knew of the link, and just 20% said a healthcare professional had ever told them about it.

Once told of the risk, 66% of the men said they would likely cut back on dairy, and 76% said they would support warning labels on dairy products. "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," said Noah Praamsma, a dietitian and nutrition education coordinator with PCRM.

The survey points to earlier research linking dairy and prostate cancer risk. A meta-analysis of 32 studies found higher dairy intake tied to greater risk, and one study found men who drank at least one serving of skim or low-fat milk daily had a 19% higher risk than those who rarely drank it. Men followed for 8 to 10 years who had about 3 servings of low-fat dairy a day were more than twice as likely to develop prostate cancer as those having less than 1 serving. A separate meta-analysis of 11 studies covering more than 700,000 men found the heaviest whole-milk drinkers had up to a 50% higher risk of dying from the disease than the lightest drinkers.

Most surveyed men already knew that fruits, vegetables, grains and beans can help protect against prostate cancer. The Adventist Health Study-2 found men on a vegan diet had a 35% lower prostate cancer risk than non-vegetarian eaters, and a study of more than 2,000 men already diagnosed with prostate cancer found that the most plant-based eaters had a 56% lower risk of disease progression and a 59% lower risk of recurrence.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United States and the second-leading cause of cancer death in men, according to the American Cancer Society, which estimates 333,830 new U.S. cases and 36,320 deaths in 2026.