February 1, 2006
1 min read
Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAmFiber Irregularities
By JR Minkel
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Will the real relation between dietary fiber and colorectal cancer please stand up? Depending on the study design and type of fiber investigated, reports find that fiber protects you from colorectal cancer, does nothing, or even bumps up your risk. The latest big study, published in the December 14, 2005, Journal of the American Medical Association, pooled the results from 13 prospective studies, which together tracked some 725,000 people for up to 20 years. Although they could not control for confounding dietary factors or solubility of fiber, the authors found that those eating the least fiber (less than 10 grams a day) were at increased risk of colorectal cancer. But high intake of fiber did nothing to reduce risk. The results also suggested that fiber from cereals and whole grains, but not from fruits and vegetables, confers a somewhat lower risk of rectal cancer.
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.
