Illness Researcher

Fruits and vegetables

Suggested

4 studies · 1 recommendation

Last updated: February 25, 2026

Fruits and vegetables – Colorectal Cancer
Suggested4 studies

Higher fruit and vegetable intake linked to meaningful colorectal cancer risk reduction

Across 4 studies—including a systematic review, cohort study, case-control study, and consensus statement—encompassing over 289,000 participants, increased fruit and vegetable consumption consistently associates with lower colorectal cancer risk. In the UK Biobank cohort (288,802 participants, 8.2-year median follow-up), each 1-point increase in dietary adherence score including fruit, vegetable, and fiber intake yielded a 14% risk reduction (HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.83–0.90). A case-control study (160 participants) identified low fruit and vegetable consumption as an independent risk factor (p<0.05). The WCRF comprehensive evaluation concluded that lifestyle modifications including greater fruit and vegetable intake could prevent up to half of all colorectal cancer cases. Protective mechanisms involve antioxidants, polyphenols, and isothiocyanates that counteract meat-related inflammatory and DNA damage pathways in colorectal carcinogenesis.

Evidence

Abbreviated Score to Assess Adherence to the 2018 WCRF/AICR Cancer Prevention Recommendations and Risk of Cancer in the UK Biobank

Authors: Celis-Morales C, Ho FK, Malcomson FC, Mathers JC, Parra-Soto S, Sharp L

Published: January 9, 2024

In a prospective cohort of 288,802 UK Biobank participants (mean age 56.2, median follow-up 8.2 years, IQR 7.4–8.9), an abbreviated score assessing adherence to five WCRF/AICR recommendations—including fruit, vegetable, and dietary fiber intake—was inversely associated with colorectal cancer. Each 1-point increment yielded a 14% risk reduction (HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.83–0.90). A total of 23,448 cancer diagnoses occurred during follow-up. Multivariable Cox models adjusted for confounders confirmed the significant association.

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Interactions between meat intake and genetic variation in relation to colorectal cancer

Authors: Andersen, Vibeke, Vogel, Ulla

Published: December 10, 2014

This systematic review of meat-gene interactions in colorectal carcinogenesis, drawing from searches of PubMed and Embase yielding 239 initial records, identifies high intake of fruit and vegetables as a protective factor against CRC based on the World Cancer Research Fund 2014 comprehensive evaluation. The review establishes that meat promotes CRC through inflammatory pathways — with statistically significant gene-meat interactions found for PTGS2/COX-2 (Pint = 0.006), IL10 (Pint = 0.04), and NFKB1 (Pint = 0.03) — and through DNA damage mechanisms. Fruits and vegetables may counteract these pro-carcinogenic processes. The WCRF concluded that lifestyle modifications including increased fruit and vegetable consumption could prevent up to half of all colorectal cancer cases.

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Report from the working group on diet and cancer.

Authors: Adami, Hans-Olov, Dragsted, Lars, Enig, Bent, Hansen, Jens, Haraldsdóttir, Jóhanna, Hill, Michael J., Holm, Lars Erik, Knudsen, Ib, Larsen, Jens-Jorgen, Lutz, Werner K., Osler, Merete, Overvad, Kim, Sabroe, Svend, Sanner, Tore, Sorensen, Thorkild I. A., Strube, Michael, Thorling, Eivind B.

Published: January 1, 1993

The consensus working group concluded that increased intake of vegetables and fruits is consistently associated with reduced risk of a number of different cancer types in epidemiological studies, characterizing the evidence as strong. Multiple tumor-inhibiting substances identified include ascorbic acid, tocopherols, carotenoids, isothiocyanates, dithiothiones, flavones, indoles, polyphenols, terpenes, and allylsulphides. Many cancer-protective agents are antioxidants or stimulate natural antioxidation mechanisms. The Danish population showed only a small increase in fruit and vegetable consumption since 1975, with moderate to low levels of protective antioxidant factors including selenium, ascorbates, tocopherols, and beta-carotene in the diet.

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Evaluation of Effective Factors in Incidence of Colorectal Cancer

Authors: دانشور, رضا, صابری, سید حسین, پورفرضی, فرهاد, یزدانبد, عباس

Published: December 11, 1391

In a case-control study of 80 colorectal cancer patients and 80 frequency-matched controls in Ardabil, Iran, significant differences were observed between the two groups in vegetable intake (p<0.05). The conclusion identified low vegetable and fruit consumption as an independent risk factor for colorectal cancer incidence. The study population included 43 males (53.8%) and 37 females (46.2%), with cases distributed across age groups: 12.5% under 40, 42.5% aged 41-60, and 45% over 61 years.

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