Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) is among the top 5 cancer types that are most common and cause the most loss of life, according to the statistics of the Ministry of Health. Although it is known that genetic factors are also effective in the development of colorectal cancers, the most important factors are lifestyle and environmental factors. The foremost among these is undoubtedly nutrition. As a matter of fact, the fact that colorectal cancers are more common in developed western societies and in western provinces in our country is related to lifestyle and dietary habits. Smoking, sedentary life and obesity; In terms of nutrition, it is known that alcohol and red meat increase the risk of colon cancer. Based on this, it is thought that the risk of colon cancer is lower in a vegetarian diet where red meat is not consumed. However, studies on this subject are not enough to confirm this.
Vegetarianism; It means not consuming red meat, fish, poultry and in some cases eggs, milk and dairy products for various reasons. vegetarian diet; vegan (consuming no animal products such as eggs, dairy products, honey), lacto-ovo vegetarian (consuming only dairy products and eggs from animal foods), pesco vegetarian (consuming dairy products, eggs and fish from animal foods), semi-vegetarian (other than red meat) There are also species such as consuming all animal products. These people prefer to be fed with plant foods such as grains, vegetables and fruits. While some religious and moral beliefs may be effective in choosing such a diet, the thought that it is healthier may also be effective.
In vegetarian nutrition; Not consuming animal foods with high saturated fat and cholesterol content reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases. In addition, some vitamins, which are high in vegetables and fruits, are taken in abundance in this diet and some benefits are obtained. In addition, people on a vegetarian diet have a lower risk of kidney stones and gallstone formation. This type of diet is rich in fiber. Nutrition with foods high in fiber also provides benefits in terms of protection from diabetes and intestinal functions. In addition to all these, a comprehensive study has been published recently that will add a new one to the benefits of vegetarian nutrition.
In this study; Approximately 75,000 people, whose diets were determined by questionnaires, were grouped as vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Those who are also vegetarian; Vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian and semi-vegetarian groups were divided into subgroups and the rates of colon cancer development were evaluated by following the groups for approximately 7.5 years. After all; In general, vegetarians have a 22% lower risk of colon cancer compared to non-vegetarians; In particular, pesco-vegetarians (who consume dairy products from animal foods, eggs and lots of fish) had a 43% lower risk than non-vegetarians.
As a result; Those on a vegetarian diet have a significantly lower risk of colon cancer than non-vegetarians. However, this does not necessarily mean that we have to become vegetarians to reduce the risk of cancer. Because, besides the benefits of this diet, there are also some disadvantages. Many problems may arise due to the deficiency of components such as iron, vitamin B12, amino acids, which are abundant in red meat. Therefore, the best approach should be to reduce the weight of red meat in our diet, but to have a balanced diet with plant and animal foods in general. At this point; It would be best to eat in accordance with the Mediterranean diet, which has been shown to be the healthiest way of eating in studies.
