our diet has a lot to do with cancers of the digestive system

The relationship between some foods and cancer has been the subject of various controversies, perhaps the most important was that unleashed when the World Health Organization warned about the relationship between the consumption of processed meats and the disease. Controversies aside, scientists continue working to better understand these connections. And little by little, they unravel new clues and connections.

Diet and cancer. The latest example of this is twofold: two studies in which researchers from Flinders University, in Australia, participated, have analyzed the relationship between diet and the probability of suffering from cancer in the gastrointestinal system.

According to those responsible, the studies identified a direct relationship between “bad dietary decisions” and cancers of this system. They especially pointed out patterns such as the consumption of red and processed meats, “fast food”, refined grains, and alcoholic and sugary drinks.

Gastrointestinal cancer. Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is a type of cancer that can occur throughout the digestive tract, from throat to colorectal cancer. These tumors represent a quarter of cancers and a third of cancer deaths and also affect an alarming number of people under 50 years of age.

Meta-analysis. The first of the studies is a meta-analysis. These types of studies are characterized by a systematic review of previous experiments and analyzes carried out to determine the relationship between two or more factors (in this case diet and cancer of the GI system), and by a quantitative analysis that is based on the results of the studies considered.

The result of this analysis confirmed, with some limitations, that there was a relationship between diet quality and cancer risk; and that this was expected, that is, that the “healthiest” diets tended to have a “protective” effect against these cancers and that the less healthy diets increased the risk of suffering from them.

Details of the study were published in an article in the journal Nutrition Reviews.

Doubly. The team responsible for this work also published a second study delving into the matter through other methodologies. The study was based on information compiled by the PLCO survey (Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening), which they combined with a survey on nutrition.

The analysis showed a negative relationship between the consumption of fiber and fatty acids and the appearance of colorectal cancer. The study was published in a second article in the journal European Journal of Nutrition.

The importance of fiber. “We found that a diet high in healthy fats and vegetables, limiting the consumption of sugars and alcohol could potentially reduce the risk of stomach cancer and other (similar) cancers,” Yohannes Melaku, co-author of the studies, explained in a press release.

“Foods high in fiber like fruits and vegetables promote healthy gastric bacteria that can reduce inflammation. “The emphasis on fiber and healthy fats should be an integral part of all diets,” he concluded.

Better understand relationships. There is still much to explore in this context. Although we have increasingly precise data indicating a correlation between diet and cancer, understanding the mechanisms that generate cause-effect relationships is vital if we want to advance in the matter.

“Although our results are promising, more work needs to be done with a greater focus on nutrition and in clinical contexts, using nutritional biomarkers to better understand the relationship between diet and cancer of the GI system,” adds Amy Reynolds, co-author of the work.

The team also advocates the need to educate to promote better dietary decisions. “We also want to see improved education about healthy foods that leads to better health outcomes for those at risk for GI cancers,” Reynolds concluded.

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