High intake of red and processed meat may increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer, while high dietary fiber consumption is not positively associated with the development of the disease.

This study was carried out to determine the relationship between the consumption of red meat, processed meat, and dietary fiber and colorectal cancer. Using validated food frequency questionnaire, researchers examined red meat, processed meat, and dietary fiber intake of 500,000 participants between the ages of 40-69 drawn from the UK Biobank. Data on colorectal cancer cases were obtained from the National Health Service Registers.

Researchers found out that there was a greater incidence of cancer in participants who consumed more than 70g of red and processed meat per day compared to those who complied with the UK government recommendation of 70g or less per day. High intake of dietary fiber was not positively associated with increased colorectal cancer development risk in this study. These findings show that consuming large quantities of red and processed meat may elevate the risk of developing colorectal cancer.