Health Highlights: July 2, 2008

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors ofHealthDay:

Mediterranean Diet Reduces Cancer Risk

People who adopt just a few elements of the Mediterranean diet could reduce their cancer risk by as much as 12 percent, say Harvard University researchers, who had 26,000 Greeks record their food intake over eight years.

The Mediterranean diet includes use of olive oil, high consumption of vegetables, fish, fruits and cereals, and less consumption of red meat. Previous research has suggested this diet may reduce the risk of heart disease and other illnesses.

The new study found that simply consuming more olive oil and other unsaturated fats reduced cancer risk by nine percent. And just two aspects of the Mediterranean diet -- eating less red meat and eating more peas, beans and lentils -- reduced cancer risk by 12 percent,BBC Newsreported.

The findings appear in theBritish Journal of Cancer.

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Group Wants FDA to Challenge Immunity Claims

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration must take action against companies that sell products with misleading label claims of boosting immunity, says the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest.

The group said when consumers read that a product will maintain a "healthy immune system" they believe it means the product will help fight off illness and disease,United Press Internationalreported.

For example, vitamins A, C and E play an important role in the functioning of many systems in the human body, but there's little evidence to suggest these vitamins have any effect on the immune system, said Bruce Silverglade, the center's legal affairs director.

In a formal complaint, the center said the FDA should bar such claims about immune system benefits and establish rules that require food companies to base these claims on scientific evidence,UPIreported.