Vegetarians have lower risk of colon cancers, study finds

thebmj_logoVegetarian diets are associated with an overall lower incidence of colorectal cancers, a large prospective cohort trial has found.

The US study, published online by JAMA Internal Medicine, included 77 659 men and women who were assessed by a food frequency questionnaire and categorised into four vegetarian groups (vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, and semi-vegetarian) or a non-vegetarian group. During a mean follow-up of 7.3 years 380 cases of colon cancer and 110 cases of rectal cancer were recorded.