Diets involving red meat and alcohol increased patients' risk of developing colorectal cancer, according to a study in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
Researchers estimated hazard ratios for CRC in U.K.-based patients. Researchers recruited 475,581 individuals to take a food-frequency questionnaire and tracked them for an average of 5.7 years, during which time a sub-sample of 175,402 patients completed a dietary assessment.
What you should know:
1. In the period studied, patients reported 2,609 cases of CRC.
2. Patients who ate an average of 76 grams of red and processed meat per day had a 20 percent higher risk of developing CRC than those who ate 21 grams per day.
3. Patients who ate the most fiber-heavy bread or breakfast cereals reduced their CRC risk by 14 percent.
4. Patients who consumed alcohol increased their CRC risk by 8 percent with every 10 grams consumed per day.
To read the full study, click here.