Dietary changes are useful in treating prostate cancer. But, men are, often, reluctant to make the needed dietary changes to improve their health. This is a review of research of the gender influences on food choices men with cancer make.

Western diets are high in energy, meat and fat. Asian diets are high in fruits and vegetables and are associated with a lower incidence of prostate cancer. In Western diets, women eat more fruits, vegetables and fish and have generally healthier diets. Men eat more meat and drink more alcohol.

If people with prostate cancer begin a plant based diet, they have reductions in the blood markers of prostate cancer. The known risk factors for prostate cancer include obesity and excessive meat, fat and calorie consumption. Dietary changes improve the outlook in prostate cancer and can delay dangerous treatments. However, diet changes are hard for men to make.

Little is known about how men’s views of masculinity alter their dietary choices. Gender is important to food choices in the Western world. Diets for men are often poorer than for women. Current knowledge of how gender issues alter food choices in prostate cancer is limited. The best time for patients to make diet changes to improve cancer outcome is at the time of diagnosis. But, changes made by men do not last as long as those made by women.

In Western societies there is an overriding view of male behavior held by men in spite of their individual gender choices. This view pervades the cultural view of proper behavior and elevates “autonomy and self-reliance and power over others.” It promotes the “American, White, middle-class and youthful” point of view.

Whatever Western culture sees as feminine behavior is not valued as male behavior. There is unwillingness of men to seek help, as seen in males not seeking medical treatment. Men are poor users of health care systems. Men see soups and salads as feminine and poor food choices for men. Psycho-oncology studies how men and women respond differently to cancer.

Even if a man with prostate cancer has a wife who prefers to eat healthy, there is a tendency for her to serve the food that he prefers instead of food she knows to be best. In one study, prostate cancer patient’s wives encouraged the men to eat better, smoke less and exercise more. Often, the men responded in a negative way by eating even less healthy diets. Older men with prostate cancer are willing to make beneficial dietary changes, but, have limited knowledge of how to make the changes.

CONCLUSION: The dominant Western view of masculinity is in conflict with good eating practices in men with prostate cancer. A reframing of healthy eating as being masculine, more powerful and independent is needed.

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PMID: 20798140.

Summary #438.