Other studies suggest a connection between colon cancer and the amount
of meat and fat a person consumes. The amount of meat and fat eaten was
compared in different countries worldwide; the more meat and fat was consumed
in a certain country, the more colon cancer would be observed there. Denis
Burkitt, a famous British surgeon working in Africa as a medical missionary,
made the keen observation that Africans consume a large amount of dietary
fiber and rarely develop colon cancer. These two observations formed the
foundation for modern theory of the effect of diet on colon cancer.
Intensive work has been done to verify these landmark observations and
to identify other factors affecting colon cancer development. Possible
elements include: a) daily energy intake (i.e., the number of calories
one eats per day); b) abundance or deficiency of specific nutrients; c)
abundance or deficiency of nutrients from selected sources (such as meats
or vegetables); or d) the presence of cancer-causing substances in foods.
It is possible that any or all of these are important in the development
of colon cancer. Selected key factors are briefly discussed below.
Key Research Areas
Calories: Total daily caloric intake (also known as total energy
intake) may be important in colon cancer development. In animal studies,
it has been shown that cutting calories reduces the formation of colon
tumors. Human studies also have suggested but not proven this. Obesity
has also been linked with increased colon cancer risk. Consumption of more
calories than are burned off causes weight gain and obesity.
