Dietary fiber intake and risks of cancers of the colon and rectum in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).

Individuals who regularly consume diets high in cereal, fruit, and vegetable fibers are less likely to develop colon, rectal, and colorectal cancers.

This study investigated the relationship between the consumption of high dietary fiber diet and colorectal cancer risk. Using dietary questionnaires, researchers examined the dietary fiber intakes of thousands of subjects recruited from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study. The colorectal cancer hazard ratio of each subject was also assessed.

Researchers observed that subjects with high total and cereal fiber intake had slim chances of developing cancers of both the colon and rectum. According to this study, high consumption of fibers from fruits and vegetables was found to decrease colon cancer risk but have no significant effect on rectal cancer risk. The results of this study indicate that generous intake of high fiber diets may reduce an individual’s susceptibility to the development of colon, rectal, and colorectal carcinomas.