Women eating a diet high in red meat, desserts, french fries and processed grains seem to run an increased risk of colon cancer.

Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health make a new report from the long-running Nurses' Health Study. This covers data from over 76,000 women gathered from 1984 to 1994. During 12 years of follow up there were 445 cases of colon cancer, and 101 cases of rectal cancer.

The team classified two dietary patterns from the information they had collected. The 'Western' diet was high in red meat, desserts, sweets, fries, and processed grains. The other dietary pattern, labelled 'prudent', was high in fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, poultry and whole grains.

The women ranked in the highest category for the Western diet had a 50 per cent increased risk of colon cancer, but no increased risk of rectal cancer. This was compared to women in the lowest category for the Western diet. It may be that switching from a Western to a more 'prudent' focus in the diet will decrease the risk of colon cancer, the researchers say.

Source

Archives of Internal Medicine 10th February 2003