A study on 35,215 Iowa women showed that a high intake of vitamin E may
decrease the risk of colon cancer. Bostick RM et al: Reduced risk of colon
cancer with high intake of vitamin E: the Iowa Women's Health Study. Cancer
Res 53(18):4230-7, 1993
In a study comparing the sugar consumption of 953 cases of colon cancer
with 2845 controls, researchers found that compared with subjects who reported
adding no sugar to their beverages, the relative risk of contracting colon
cancer was 1.4 times higher for those adding 1 spoonful, 1.6 times higher for
those adding 2 spoonfuls, and twice as high for those adding 3 or more. La
Vecchia C et al: Refined sugar intake and the risk of colorectal cancer in
humans. Int J Cancer 55:386-9, 1993.
The diets of 50 patients with colon cancer were compared with 50 matched
controls. Those with colon cancer consumed significantly more sugar and fat
and less dietary fibre. Bristol JB et al: Sugar, fat and the risk of
colorectal cancer. BMJ 291(6507):1467-70, 1985.
A study analyzing the diet and blood of 682 subjects found that men with
the highest intake of folic acid had only 50% of the risk of developing
colorectal polyps (a risk factor for cancer of the colon) compared with those
having the lowest intake. Bird CL et al: Red cell and plasma folate, folate
consumption, and the risk of colorectal adenomatous polyps. Cancer Epidemiol
Biomarkers Prev 4(7):709-14, 1995.
1,904 vegetarians were followed-up for 11 years in Germany. Among the men,
their expected death rates were 44 per cent less than for the general
population and for the women 53 per cent less. Rates of death from colon
cancer were also greatly reduced. Health-conscious behaviour was thought to
play an important part in addition to vegetarianism. Frentzel-Beyme R et al:
Vegetarian diets and colon cancer: the German experience. Am J Clin Nutr 59(5
Suppl):1143S-1152S, 1994.
