A new long-term study in the USA has found a common treat eaten just twice a week could protect you from bowel cancer. Two servings of yoghurt every week could protect you from a type of colorectal cancer, according to the study.
Shuji Ogino from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard University said: “Our study provides unique evidence about the potential benefit of yoghurt.”
The study looked at the medical records and diet habits of 87,000 women and 45,000 men taken over at least three decades. It found that people diagnosed with colorectal cancer who ate two or more servings of yoghurt a week were 20 per cent less likely to have a Bifidobacterium-positive tumour.
Bifidobacterium are microbes found in the human gut, and yogurt, which combine with tumour tissue in almost a third of bowel cancer cases – creating an aggressive form of the illness.
The study suggests eating more of this bacteria, in yogurt, stops it leaking into the gut and combining with cancer cells. It suggests the bacteria act asantioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune boosting agents to protect the intestine.
The study reads: “Our finding suggests that yoghurt intake might have a cancer-preventive effect for colorectal cancer with disrupted intestinal barrier.Further studies are warranted to elucidate the potential mechanisms for the effects of long-term yoghurt intake on colorectal carcinogenesis.”
Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is a significant health concern in the UK. As of the latest data from 2017-2019, approximately 44,100 new cases are diagnosed annually, making it the fourth most common cancer in the country. This translates to about 120 new diagnoses each day.
Projections indicate that the number of new bowel cancer cases is expected to rise to around 47,700 annually by 2038-2040, primarily due to an ageing population. England has experienced the steepest rise in bowel cancer rates among individuals aged 25 to 49 in Europe, with cases increasing by an average of 3.6% annually over the past decade. Factors such as diets high in ultra-processed foods, obesity, and lack of exercise are believed to contribute to this trend.
Bowel cancer is also the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the UK, following lung cancer. Early detection significantly improves survival rates; when diagnosed at the earliest stage, more than 9 in 10 (92%) people survive their disease for five years or more.
Efforts to combat bowel cancer include initiatives like the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK, established by Dame Deborah James. The fund has raised £13 million to support pioneering projects aimed at improving early detection and treatment, particularly among younger populations.
The study was published in Gut Microbes.