A new survey finds that 8 in 10 men don't know dairy products like milk and cheese may raise their risk of prostate cancer. That's a big gap, since prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. The survey came out during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, a time meant to spread facts like this one.

Quick Take

• Only 20% of men knew dairy can raise prostate cancer risk, per a new survey.
• 66% said they'd likely cut back on dairy once told about the link.
• Only 20% had ever heard about the nutrition-cancer connection from a doctor.
• One study found daily low-fat milk drinkers had a 19% higher risk.
• Another study found heavy dairy eaters were over twice as likely to get prostate cancer.

What the Survey Found

The survey was done by Morning Consult for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. It asked 1,102 men in the U.S. about their knowledge of diet and prostate cancer.

Most men had no clue dairy was even part of the conversation. But once researchers told them about the risk, most changed their tune fast.

"66% said they would be likely to avoid dairy products" once informed of the risk.

That's a huge shift. It shows people want to make healthier choices — they just need the facts first.

Doctors Aren't Talking About It Enough

Here's the bigger problem: only 20% of men said a doctor or nurse ever brought up the dairy-cancer link. That means most men are learning about their risk from surveys, not their own doctors.

Noah Praamsma, a dietitian with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, says that needs to change. He wants more doctors trained on how food — especially dairy — affects prostate cancer risk, and on the benefits of eating more plant-based foods instead.

What the Research Actually Shows

This isn't a brand-new idea. Scientists have studied the dairy-prostate cancer link for years.

That table shows a pattern: more dairy, more risk, across several different studies.

Why It Matters

Prostate cancer affects millions of men, and diet is something people can actually control. If cutting back on dairy lowers risk, that's a simple change worth knowing about. Experts say doctors need to start talking about it more, so men can make informed choices before a diagnosis, not after.