When thinking about preventing prostate cancer, a lot of research has focused on what types of food a man should eat.

But what about how often – or how much – he eats?

New research from the University of Minnesota suggests that regular fasting could be an additional health resource that helps men cut their risk of prostate cancer.

Scientists from the university carried out a study which found that patients who reduced the amount they consumed by half for a period of one to two weeks each month were able to reduce their chances of developing a tumor.

Engaging in food rationing on an occasional basis may work because the balance of certain fat hormones that promote cancer cell growth are being constantly readjusted, the researchers suggest.

The findings, published in the journal Prostate, join a body of separate research which has found benefits in fasting.

One study connected regular fasting to a lower risk of breast cancer. Others have connected reduced caloric intake with a longer lifespan.