New study reveals eating wholegrains helps to reduce risk of bowel cancer

Today World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research have revealed that eating more wholegrains such as brown rice or whole-wheat bread can reduce your risk of bowel cancer.

It was found, for the first time, that eating three servings (90g) of wholegrains a day decreases the risk of bowel cancer by 17 per cent. This adds to previous evidence showing that eating foods containing fibre can stack the odds against bowel cancer.

The report evaluated all of the research worldwide on how diet, weight and physical activity affect bowel cancer risk and also confirmed that the following increase bowel cancer risk:

• Eating processed meat, such as bacon or salami 
• Eating too much red meat (over 500g of cooked meat a week), such as beef or pork
• Being overweight or obese 
• Drinking two or more alcoholic drinks a day, such as two glasses of wine or two measures of spirit

It was also found that people who are more physically active have a lower risk of bowel cancer compared to those who do very little physical activity.

Gail Curry, Head of Health Promotion and Training at Bowel Cancer UK, said:

“This study provides further evidence that it is possible to stack the odds against bowel cancer. The disease is the UK’s fourth most common cancer but making simple changes to diet and lifestyle could help change this.

“Increasing your intake of fibre from wholegrains, keeping to a healthy weight, being more physical active, cutting down on alcohol and stopping smoking could reduce your bowel cancer risk as well as having a positive impact on your overall health."

• Find out how you can reduce your risk of bowel cancer
• Knowing the symptoms of bowel cancer could save your life
• Read our Good Bowel Health booklet
• Read real life stories of people who have been affected by the disease