While it is believed a proper diet has a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables in it, a new study shows that there is a small association between the high consumption of fruits and vegetables and reducing the overall risk of cancer.

An article published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, analyzed data from a previous study involving nearly 400,000 people from 1992 to 2000. Participants provided the team with information about their dietary habits and lifestyles.

About nine years later, follow-up interviews reported that more than 30,000 participants had been diagnosed with cancer. The authors discovered that there was a small association between high consumption of fruits and vegetables and reduced overall cancer risk.

The article warns readers not to credit a proper diet to the risk reduction of cancer. They also concluded that there was barely any connection between lowering the risk of cancer and the diet these participants consumed.

The Food Pyramid suggests that a proper diet should include 3 to 5 servings of vegetables and 2 to 4 servings of fruits per day, according to LifeClinic.com.