Gastrointestinal cancers present a unique risk to younger patients.
The relationship between certain foods and cancer has been the subject of various controversies. One major point of discussion arose when the World Health Organization issued warnings about the link between processed meat consumption and cancer. Beyond these debates, scientists are continuing their work to understand these connections better, gradually uncovering new insights.
Diet and cancer. Two recent studies from researchers at Flinders University in Australia have examined the link between diet and the risk of developing gastrointestinal (GI) cancer.
According to the authors, there’s a direct relationship between “poor diet choices” and GI cancers. They specifically highlighted the “high consumption of red and processed meats, fast foods, refined grains, alcohol and sugary beverages.”
Gastrointestinal cancer. It encompasses a range of cancers that can occur along the digestive tract, from throat cancer to colorectal cancer. These types of tumors account for a quarter of all cancers and one-third of cancer-related deaths. Additionally, they significantly impact an alarming number of individuals under the age of 50.
Meta-analysis. Published in Nutrition Reviews, the first study is a meta-analysis, which involves a systematic review of previous research and analyses to determine the relationship between two or more factors. In this case, scientists aimed to find a link between diet and GI cancer. This type of study includes a quantitative analysis of the results from the studies reviewed.
Despite some limitations, the findings from the meta-analysis confirmed that there’s indeed a connection between diet quality and cancer risk. As expected, healthier diets tend to offer a protective effect against these types of cancers, while less healthy diets increase the risk of developing them.
Second study. The team responsible for this research also published a second paper in the European Journal of Nutrition. In this case, they thoroughly explored the subject using different methodologies. The study used data from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening survey, which researchers combined with dietary survey information.
The analysis revealed a negative relationship between fiber and fatty acid intake and the occurrence of colorectal cancer.
The importance of fiber. “We found that a diet high in healthy fats and vegetables whilst limiting the consumption of sugars and alcohol could potentially reduce the risk of bowel and other cancers,” co-author Yohannes Melaku said in a press release.
“High-fibre foods such as fruits and vegetables promote healthy gut bacteria that can reduce inflammation. The emphasis on fibre and healthy fats should be an integral part of everyone’s diet,” he added.
Better understanding the links between diet and cancer. There’s still much to explore in this area. While scientists have increasingly precise data indicating a correlation between diet and cancer, understanding the mechanisms that create these cause-and-effect relationships is crucial for making progress in this field.
“Whilst our results are promising, more work needs to be done with a greater focus on nutrition in clinical settings using nutritional biomarkers to better understand the relationship between diet and GI cancer,” co-author Amy Reynolds said.
The Flinders University team also emphasizes the need for education to promote better dietary choices. “We also want to see an increase in education around healthy eating which could lead to better health outcomes for those at risk for GI cancers,” Reynolds added.
Image | Nathan Dumlao
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