Dietary fiber refers to all carbohydrates that cannot be digested and absorbed by the small intestine. Compared with other types of carbohydrates, dietary fiber has its own characteristics: it cannot be digested and absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract, and is just a “passenger in the intestinal tract”.
According to whether it is soluble in water, it can be divided into soluble dietary fiber and insoluble dietary fiber; and according to the source, it can be divided into grain dietary fiber, fruit dietary fiber and vegetable dietary fiber.
Although dietary fiber cannot provide more energy for the human body, it plays an important role in health, such as controlling weight and preventing obesity; promoting intestinal health and improving intestinal function; reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, etc.
In addition, dietary fiber also plays a role in cancer prevention. Studies have shown that increasing dietary fiber intake in the diet is associated with a reduced risk of breast and colorectal cancer. Recently, a study published in JAMA Network Open, a sub-journal of the American Medical Association, adds evidence to this.
Studies have shown that higher intakes of dietary fiber, both in total and from different sources, are associated with a lower risk of gastrointestinal cancers (e.g. gastric, pancreatic, colorectal).
The study analyzed data from the National Cancer Center (NCC) of Korea and included 9246 participants. The mean age of participants was 52.5 years, and 5901 (63.8%) were women.
Through questionnaires, the researchers collected basic information such as height and weight of the participants; lifestyle information such as smoking status, alcohol consumption and physical activity; history of cardiovascular diseases (such as heart disease, stroke) and chronic diseases such as diabetes and treatment history information; and family history information for gastrointestinal cancers, etc.
In addition, the researchers also counted the participants’ intake of different types of food and frequency information to assess the total and different sources of dietary fiber intake.
The statistical results showed that the average dietary fiber intake of all participants was 19.7 g/day; the average dietary fiber intake from grains, vegetables and fruits were 4.1 g/day, 8.6 g/day and 2.7 g/day, respectively. sky.
During nearly eight years of follow-up, a total of 163 participants developed gastrointestinal cancers, including 62 gastric cancers.
After controlling for other factors, the researchers found that higher dietary fiber intake was associated with a lower risk of gastrointestinal and stomach cancers among the participants.
In terms of total dietary fiber intake, compared with participants who consumed <17.8 g/day, those who consumed ≥17.8 g/day had a 37% and 58% lower risk of gastrointestinal and gastric cancers, respectively. %.
In terms of dietary fiber intake from different sources:
Compared with participants who consumed less than 3.9 g/day of dietary fiber from cereals, those who consumed ≥3.9 g/day had a 13% and 24% lower risk of developing gastrointestinal and gastric cancers, respectively.
Compared with participants who consumed less than 7.5 g/day of vegetable dietary fiber, those who consumed ≥7.5 g/day had a 25% lower risk of both gastrointestinal and gastric cancers.
Compared with participants who consumed less than 1.7 g/day of fruit dietary fiber, those who consumed ≥1.7 g/day had a 22% and 18% lower risk of developing gastrointestinal and gastric cancers, respectively.
The researchers analyzed that the association between dietary fiber and the reduced risk of gastrointestinal cancers may be related to multiple factors.
For example, dietary fiber cannot be digested, which can improve satiety and reduce energy intake, thereby reducing the risk of weight gain, overweight and obesity, and obesity is a risk factor for more than a dozen types of cancer; promote gastrointestinal motility, shorten the relationship between carcinogens and gastrointestinal tract Contact time; lower intestinal pH, regulate intestinal flora, inhibit the production of harmful bacteria, promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, etc.; substances produced by intestinal flora when fermenting dietary fiber help to regulate immune function, etc.
However, the related mechanism has not been clarified, and more research is needed.
It should be noted that this study is an observational study and only shows that higher dietary fiber intake is associated with a lower risk of gastrointestinal cancers, and does not show a cause-and-effect relationship. Moreover, there are some limitations in the study, such as dietary dependence on participants’ recall, which may also have an impact on the results of the study.
The study concludes that epidemiological studies have shown that dietary fiber has a beneficial effect on gastrointestinal cancers. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) have recognized and promoted dietary fiber as a protective factor against colorectal cancer.
Since gastrointestinal cancers are one of the most common cancer types, the prevention of these cancers is urgently needed. The findings of this study offer an easy way to prevent gastrointestinal cancers by increasing the amount of dietary fiber in the diet.
Dietary fiber only exists in plant foods, and animal foods such as fish, meat, eggs, and milk do not contain dietary fiber. Therefore, in daily life, the intake of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans should be increased to meet the daily dietary fiber intake.
Generally speaking, increasing the intake of foods rich in dietary fiber will not only provide the body with various nutrients it needs, but also play an important role in preventing cancer and improving overall health.
2023-04-18 08:49:38
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