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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.
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;94:1373-80.
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