Western diet is ‘recipe for colon cancer’
A typical Western diet, rich in meat and fats and low in complex carbohydrates, is a recipe for colon cancer, according to a leading professor.
Increasingly, evidence shows that the composition of diet directly affects the diversity of gut microbes, which may be important in protecting against colonic disease and colon cancer.
Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Western adults, said Professor Stephen O’Keefe, from the University of Pittsburgh, as he addressed the Society for General Microbiology in Harrogate today (March 31st).
"A diet rich in fibre and resistant starch encourages the growth of good bacteria and increases production of short chain fatty acids which lessen the risk of cancer, while a high meat and fat diet reduces the numbers of these good bacteria," he added.
Studies have shown that people with a healthy diet have significant populations of micro-organisms called Firmicutes in their digestive tracts.
It is thought that red meat could be turned into toxic products such as sulphur by these bacteria, which leads to the production of hydrogen sulphide and other possible carcinogens.
Several other stories linking red and processed meat to cancer and heart disease appeared in the news last week.
The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with cancer.
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