Pescovegetarians, or vegetarians who eat fish have lower colon cancer risk, according to new research from the American Medical Association.
Colon cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and is the second leading cause of death by cancer amongst men and women, according to the Colon Cancer Alliance.
The American Cancer Society estimates 49,700 colon cancer deaths in the U.S. in the year 2015.
Diet is an important factor for preventing colon cancer. Red meat is linked to an increased risk, while foods rich in fiber lower the risk of colon cancer.
Among the 77,659 study participants, there were 380 cases of colon cancer and 110 rectal cancer cases.
The pescovegetarians in the study who ate fish at least once a month had a 42 percent lower risk of cancer, which was the greatest reduction in risk among all types of vegetarians.
The anti-cancer benefits of fish in the study are likely due to its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
“In addition to other dietary factors, fish may provide added protection from its high content omega-3 fatty acids. This is consistent with previous research that has found omega-3s have anti-cancer activity and that they may be helpful in the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer,” nutritionist Lisa Drayer told CNN.
This is not the first study to link omega-3s to potential cancer prevention. For example, previous research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition linked fish consumption to a 63 percent decrease in cancer mortality risk.
The study showing that vegetarians who eat fish have lower colon cancer risk was published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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REFERENCES:
1. “Vegetarians Who Eat Fish Have Lower Cancer Risk.” Mercola.com. Mercola.com, 23 Mar. 2015. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.
2. “Colon Cancer Statistics.” Colon Cancer Alliance. Colon Cancer Alliance, n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.
3. “Cancer Risk Drops for Vegetarians Eating Fish.” CNN. Cable News Network, 13 Mar. 2015. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.
4. “Vegetarian Diet and Risk of Colorectal Cancers.” JAMA Internal Medicine. JAMA Network, 9 Mar. 2015. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.
5. “Promotion of Prostatic Metastatic Migration towards Human Bone Marrow Stoma by Omega 6 and Its Inhibition by Omega 3 PUFAs.” Nature.com. British Journal of Cancer, 7 Mar. 2006. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.
6. “Fish Consumption and Prostate Cancer Risk: A Review and Meta-analysis.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Nov. 2010. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.
7. “What Are the Key Statistics about Colorectal Cancer?” American Cancer Society. American Cancer Society, n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.
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