Eat more salmon to keep bowel cancer at bay
Research
reveals eating more oily fish like salmon could reduce risk of bowel cancer,
which kills 25 Canadians every day
By SeaWestNews
Three or more portions a week of oily fish, like salmon, cuts the risk of bowel cancer, which kills about 25 Canadians a day, states a new study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
The researchers examined the association
between risk of colorectal cancer and fish consumption, dietary and circulating
levels of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, and the ratio of
omega-6 to omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.
The study was published in the journal
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology and was funded by the World Cancer
Research Fund (WCRF) in order to help strengthen its advice to the public on
bowel cancer.
University of Oxford researchers, alongside
IARC researchers, examined the diets of 476,160 participants who filled in
surveys about how often they consume certain foods.
These included detail on the participants’
fish intake, including white, fatty, oily, and lean fish. Results showed that
eating 359.1g of any fish per week led to a 12 per cent decreased risk of bowel
cancer, compared with eating less than 63.49g a week.
People who ate just 123.9g of oily fish a
week experienced a 10 per cent lower risk of bowel cancer. Oily fish include
salmon, sardines and mackerel. A typical portion of fish is around 100g.
The researchers concluded that:
“Consumption of fish appears to reduce the risk of colorectal (bowel) cancer
and should be encouraged as part of a healthy diet.”
Both fatty and oily fish are an extremely rich source of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA), which experts believe have a proactive effect in the body. Non-fatty fish.
Dr. Marc Gunter, Lead Researcher from the IARC,
said that their findings demonstrate eating fish should be encouraged as part
of a healthy diet.
Dr. Anna Diaz Font, head of research
funding at the WCRF, said: “This large study adds to the scientific evidence
suggesting that consuming fish could reduce the risk of bowel cancer.”
Colorectal cancer statistics
Colorectal cancer is the 2nd most commonly
diagnosed cancer in Canada (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). It is the 2nd
leading cause of death from cancer in men and the 3rd leading cause of death
from cancer in women in Canada.
In 2017, an estimated:
- 26,800 Canadians were diagnosed
with colorectal cancer. This represents 13% of all new cancer cases in 2017. - 9,400 Canadians died from
colorectal cancer. This represents 12% of all cancer deaths in 2017. - 14,900 men were diagnosed with
colorectal cancer and 5,100 died from it. - 11,900 women were diagnosed
with colorectal cancer and 4,300 died from it. - On average, 73 Canadians were
diagnosed with colorectal cancer every day. - On average, 26 Canadians died
from colorectal cancer every day.
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