Vegetarian diet associated with decreased risk of colorectal cancer

the Oncology Nurse Advisor take:

According to a recent article published in JAMA Internal Medicine, consuming a vegetarian diet was linked with a decreased risk for developing colorectal cancers compared with eating a nonvegetarian diet.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from 77,659 men and women and identified 380 colon cancer cases and 110 rectal cancer cases.

Results showed that vegetarians had a 22% decreased risk for all colorectal cancers, 19% decreased risk for colon cancer, and 29% decreased risk for rectal cancer compared with nonvegetarians.

In addition, vegans had a 16% decreased risk for colorectal cancer compared with nonvegetarians and lacto-ovo vegetarians had a 18% lower risk than nonvegetarians. Pescovegetarians had a 43% lower risk for colorectal cancers compared with nonvegetarians.

The authors conclude that "the evidence that vegetarian diets similar to those of our study participants may be associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, along with prior evidence of the potential reduced risk of obesity, hypertension, diabetes and mortality, should be considered carefully in making dietary choices and in giving dietary guidance."

Red meat has already been linked to an increased risk for colorectal cancer while a diet rich in fiber has been associated with a reduced risk.