Colon Cancer

Don't Thank Fiber; Blame Meat and Milk
The very low rate of colon cancer among blacks in South Africa compared with whites is probably not due to a high fiber intake but rather to a very low intake of animal products, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Gastroenterology. Colon cancer affects only 1 in 100,000 South African blacks and is 17 times more common among whites. The cornmeal-based diet common among South African blacks is not particularly high in fiber and is low in calcium. According to Stephen J.D. O'Keefe and colleagues at the University of Capetown, the healthfulness of the diet comes from the absence of "aggressive" factors such as animal protein and fat. Osteoporosis, which is also linked to diets rich in animal protein, is also extremely rare among South African blacks.¹

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published results of a 65-year follow-up study showing dairy consumption affects biological pathways associated with carcinogenesis. They found a diet rich in dairy products during childhood is associated with a greater risk of colorectal cancer in adulthood. High childhood total dairy intake was associated with a near-tripling in the risk of colorectal cancer compared with low intake, independent of meat, fruit, and vegetable intakes and socioeconomic indicators. Milk intake showed a similar association.²

O'Keefe SJ, Kidd M, Espitalier-Noel G, Owira P. Rarity of colon cancer in Africans is associated with low animal product consumption, not fiber. Am J Gastroenterol 1999;94:1373-1380.

van der Pols JC, Bain C, Gunnell D, Smith GD, Frobisher C, Martin RM. Childhood dairy intake and adult cancer risk. 65-y follow-up of the Boyd Orr cohort. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;86(6)1722-1729.

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