According to figures from the National Cancer Institute, colorectal cancer is the 3rd most common cancer in men and the 2nd most common cancer in women. It affects more than 47,000 people in France each year and kills more than 17,000 people per year.
A large-scale British study published in Nature and carried out by the University of Oxford and Cancer Research UK highlights a link between calcium consumption and a reduced risk of bowel cancer. By analyzing the eating habits of more than half a million women over a 16-year period, researchers identified protective food sources and behaviors to avoid.
Researchers found that an extra intake of 300 mg of calcium per day, the equivalent of a large glass of milk, reduced the risk of bowel cancer by 17%. “ This highlights the potential protective role of dairy products, due largely to calcium, in the development of bowel cancer. “, explains Dr. Keren Papier, principal investigator of the study.
If you don’t drink milk, there are other ways to get calcium
Calcium, found in dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese, works by binding to bile acids and free fatty acids in the colon, reducing their potentially carcinogenic effects. Other sources of calcium include green leafy vegetables, fruits like dried figs, nuts, seeds, and canned fish like sardines.
While calcium appears to play a protective role, other elements of the diet increase the risk of developing bowel cancer. Excessive consumption of processed meat and red meat is particularly singled out. According to researchers, an extra daily serving of red or processed meat (for example, a slice of ham) increases the risk by 8%. Alcohol is also an aggravating factor: an additional glass of wine per day increases the risk by 15%.
The study confirms that other dietary habits, such as the consumption of fiber, fruit, whole grains and vitamin C, have a beneficial, albeit moderate, effect. Dr Lisa Wilde, of the charity Bowel Cancer UK, told BBC News that: If you don’t drink milk, there are other ways to get calcium, such as from broccoli or tofu, while reducing the risk of bowel cancer. »
More than 100 foods and nutrients have been studied
Although this is an observational study and not a clinical trial, the researchers consider that it provides solid evidence on the impact of diet on the risk of bowel cancer. More than 100 foods and nutrients were studied, and nearly 12,000 participants developed bowel cancer during the study.
In The ConversationProfessor of Biomedical Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University, Justin Stebbing, summarizes: “ As an oncologist, I advise my patients on the influence of diet and lifestyle on health. But this research, one of the largest studies of diet and disease to date, has shed new light on how simple, inexpensive dietary changes can help everyone reduce their risk of cancer. »
Source: www.topsante.com
