Diet

Several different lines of evidence suggest that a healthy diet helps prevent colon cancer. Obesity in middle age, for instance, is associated with increased risk of colon cancer in men and women. And although the incidence of colorectal cancer varies widely from country to country, groups migrating from low-risk to high-risk regions can experience an increase in the incidence of the disease.

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Diets high in fat have been shown to be linked to a greater risk of colon cancer. To lower this risk, experts suggest reducing your level of dietary fat to fewer than 35 percent of the total calories consumed.

Diets rich in vegetables and high-fiber grains, such as brown rice, have been shown to lower colon cancer risk. Fiber appears to exert its protective effects in at least two ways: First, fiber decreases fecal transit time by increasing the bulk of stools. Second, that extra bulk dilutes the concentration of other harmful substances in the colon, including carcinogens, weakening their potential impact.

To minimize colon cancer risk, doctors recommend eating at least 25 grams of fiber a day through a diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Your choice of meat may also affect your colon cancer risk. Although it is notoriously difficult to determine which components of a diet are most important in conferring cancer risk, studies show a strong dose-related association between red meat and fat intake and colorectal cancer. While consumption of animal fat is positively associated with colon cancer, consumption of fish and skinless chicken is linked to a lower risk. Also, higher cholesterol values (which typically reflect total dietary fat intake) are correlated with subsequent tumor development.