Practical Dietary Advice to Reduce Colon Cancer Risk

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Author:

Martha McKittrick, RD, CDE

New York Presbyterian Hospital - Weill Cornell Medical College

Medically Reviewed On: March 22, 2001

Introduction

Diet and Cancer

Overall, the statistics are sobering: Cancer, the second leading cause of death, will strike half of all men and one-third of all women. Cancers arise from a combination of genetic susceptibility and exposure to environmental factors, including toxins. The good news is that adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle may prevent as many as 60% to 70% of cancer cases. Increasing fruits and vegetables alone may decrease cancer risk by 20%. Colorectal cancer, one of the four most common cancers, may be particularly diet- and lifestyle-related: an estimated 66% to 75% of colorectal cancer cases might be prevented by dietary and lifestyle changes.

Western Diet Woes


Colon cancer arises from a series of genetic or environmental "hits." Evidence suggests that dietary factors play an important role (Please see article "Diet, Drugs and Colon Cancer: Is There A Connection?"). The typical Western diet is high in total and saturated fat (especially from red meat and processed meats), high in sugar and refined grains, and low in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, a diet associated with high rates of colorectal cancer. This diet commonly contains:

Too much fat -- comprising 38% of calories instead of the recommended 25% or less.
Too little fiber -- averaging 10 grams a day instead of the recommended 20 to 35 grams.
Too few fruits and vegetables -- less than the recommended five or more servings a day.
Offending Foods

The following dietary and lifestyle factors have been linked to colon cancer. Preventive strategies are listed for each.

Total Fat

Ingesting large amounts of fat typically results in incomplete digestion by the small bowel. Undigested fat appears to be unhealthy for the colon: bacteria present in the colon act upon the fat, producing cancer-causing substances that may damage the colon lining. Most experts recommend that you receive between 20 to 25% of your calories from fat. Recommended calorie levels and corresponding fat intake for this type of diet are:

For a moderately active woman:

To maintain weight: 1600 to 2000 calories, 35 to 55 fat grams
To lose weight: 1200 to 1500 calories, 25 to 40 fat grams
A moderately active man
To maintain weight: 1900 ? 2500 calories, 40 to 70 fat grams
To lose weight: 1600 ? 1900 calories, 35 to 50 fat grams
Table One lists the fat content of some common foods.

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