A new study has found that high levels of consumption of red and processed meat are associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, whereas high levels of fish consumption are associated with a decreased risk of the disease.

Elio Riboli, M.D., M.P.H., and Teresa Norat M.S., M.P.H., of the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France, and colleagues used data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), a cohort of more than half a million Western Europeans, to examine the associations between intakes of red and processed meat, poultry, and fish and colorectal cancer risk.

During a mean follow-up of 4.8 years, 1,329 cases of colorectal cancer were documented. Among the study population, the risk of developing colorectal cancer over 10 years was 1.71% for subjects in the highest category of red and processed meat consumption compared with 1.28% for subjects in the lowest category. The risk of developing colorectal cancer was 1.86% among subjects in the lowest category of fish consumption compared with 1.28% among subjects in the highest category. There was no association between poultry consumption and colorectal cancer risk.

Contact: Nicolas Gaudin, Communications Office, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France

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