Meat Linked To Increase of Bowel Cancer in Women

A new study conducted by a team of international researchers and scientists at the University of Leeds found that women who consume meat increase their chances of contracting distal colon cancer, a type of cancer that occurs in the descending portion of the colon where feces are stored. Researchers examined data gathered between 1995 and 1998 by the World Cancer Research Fund about 32,147 women from England, Wales, and Scotland. The women were tracked for 17 years, during which time 462 cases of colorectal cancer were recorded—119 of which were distal colon cancer. The study analyzed the dietary habits of these women in several categories and found that those who consumed a vegetarian diet had a decreased risk of contracting the disease. “Our research is one of the few studies looking at this relationship, and while further analysis in a larger study is needed,” lead author Diego Rada Fernandez de Jauregui said, “it could provide valuable information for those with family history of colorectal cancer and those working on prevention.” Last year, a separate study published in the The BMJ linked the consumption of meat to an increased death rate from nine ailments, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.