Western diet a chief culprit.(colon cancer risk increase)

2003 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Women who fill their diets with red or processed meats, french fries, white bread, and sugary desserts may have an increased risk of colon cancer, according to a new study.

Researchers followed more than 76,000 women for 12 years to determine how their dietary patterns affect the risk for colon and rectal cancers. They identified two main patterns: the "prudent" diet consisting primarily of fruit, vegetables, fish, and whole grains and the "Western" diet consisting mainly of red meat, fried foods, refined grains, and desserts. The results revealed a significant association between the Western diet and the risk of colon cancer.

Findings were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The "Western diet" has been linked to an increased risk of colon cancer for several reasons. According to Teresa Fung, ScD, RD, LDN, lead researcher and assistant professor at the department of nutrition at Simmons College, in Boston, "Red meats are cooked in high heat and may generate nitrosamines, which may be carcinogenic. Many processed meats are preserved with nitrites, and may also be converted to nitrosamine in the gut." In other words, the processes of cooking or preserving meat may produce cancer-causing chemicals.

In addition, consuming white bread rather than whole-wheat may make a difference. Fung explained, "Refined grains may increase insulin levels. Insulin, being a ...