Key Points:
• Two or more servings of yoghurt a week linked to lower rates of some types of bowel cancer
• Impact likely due to positive effect on gut microbiome
• Study followed over 100,000 female nurses and 51,000 male healthcare professionals since 1976
Eating yoghurt for breakfast could lower your risk of bowel cancer, according to new research. Scientists have found that consuming two or more servings of yoghurt a week is associated with lower rates of certain types of the disease in adults. The beneficial impact is believed to be a result of how yoghurt affects the balance of bacteria in the gut, known as the gut microbiome.
Researchers, led by Dr. Shuji Ogino from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, utilized data from two long-term studies that tracked the lifestyles, diets, and medical conditions of more than 100,000 female registered nurses and 51,000 male healthcare professionals aged 30 to 75 since 1976. Participants were surveyed about their consumption of plain or flavored yoghurt, as well as other dairy products like milk, cheese, and ice cream.
The study also analyzed tissue samples from participants diagnosed with bowel cancer to measure the levels of Bifidobacterium, a type of beneficial bacteria. While no significant association was found between overall bowel cancer rates and long-term yoghurt intake, a 20% lower rate of Bifidobacterium-positive tumors was observed in those who consumed two or more portions of yoghurt per week.
Dr. Tomotaka Ugai from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health noted, "It has long been believed that yogurt and other fermented milk products are beneficial for gastrointestinal health. Our new findings suggest that this protective effect may be specific for Bifidobacterium-positive tumors." The team's work was published in Gut Microbes.
The authors suggest that incorporating yoghurt into one's diet over the long term could potentially reduce the risk of proximal bowel cancer by altering the gut microbiome, including Bifidobacterium. However, they emphasize the need for further research in this area to fully understand the relationship between yoghurt consumption and bowel cancer risk.
Bowel cancer is a prevalent type of cancer in the UK, with approximately 44,000 new cases diagnosed each year and about 17,000 individuals succumbing to the disease. Cancer Research UK highlights that half of these cases could be prevented through healthier lifestyle choices. Early symptoms of bowel cancer include changes in bowel habits, blood in stool, weight loss, and abdominal pain or lumps.
