Study: Brief Diet Switch Cuts Colon Cancer Risk

Switching diets may make a big difference in African Americans’ risk of colon cancer, a small study suggests. African Americans have a higher risk of colorectal cancer than whites. But rural African blacks have an extremely low risk. The new study included 20 African Americans and 20 blacks from rural South Africa. Researchers gave everyone colonoscopies. They removed polyps that could develop into cancers from 9 Americans. None of the Africans had polyps. Researchers also looked at inflammation, chemical activity and bacteria in the colon. What they found was different between the 2 groups. The Americans’ results have been linked in other research with a higher risk of colon cancer. The Africans showed lower risk. Researchers had the groups switch diets for 2 weeks. The African Americans ate the Africans’ normal high-fiber, low-fat diet.