Men On Healthy Plant-Based Diets 22% Less Likely To Develop Bowel Cancer, Study Suggests

A study published in BMC Medicine found that men who follow diets rich in healthy plant-based foods such as vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes were 22% less likely to develop bowel cancer compared to those who ate the least amount of these foods. The study included 79,952 US-based men and assessed their dietary habits through a list of over 180 food and drink items, classifying them into healthy plant foods, less healthy plant foods, and animal foods.

The researchers suggested that antioxidants in plant-based foods may lower the risk of bowel cancer by suppressing chronic inflammation. While the study did not find a similar link in women, it indicated that the association between plant-based diets and bowel cancer risk may vary between different races and ethnicities. However, due to the observational nature of the study, no definitive conclusions about a causal relationship between plant-based diets and bowel cancer development could be drawn.