People who eat plenty of dietary fibre tend to have a reduced risk of bowel cancer, according to the results of a comprehensive review.Scientists at Imperial College London analysed the results of 25 studies involving almost two million people in order to investigate the association between intake of dietary fibre and whole grains and the risk of bowel cancer.
They found that, overall, the reduction in risk of bowel cancer was small but noticeable.
For every 10g per day increase in dietary fibre consumption, there was a ten per cent reduction in a person's risk of developing bowel cancer, compared with the lowest levels of fibre intake.
However, fruit and vegetable fibre did not appear to be associated with a reduced risk of disease.
The findings, which are published in the British Medical Journal, indicate that people may be able to reduce their risk of bowel cancer by consuming more fibre from whole grain foods, such as breads, cereals, oatmeal, brown rice and porridge.
A recent study in the Lancet found that people with an inherited susceptibility to bowel cancer may also be able to reduce their risk of developing the disease by taking aspirin each day.
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/interactive/news/high-fibre-diet-may-reduce-bowel-cancer-risk--id801082700-t116.html
