Eating a diet high in animal fats has been linked to a variety of health problems, including heart disease, obesity, and several types of cancer. Now, a new study published in The Journal of Nutrition is adding to a growing body of scientific evidence showing a connection between a diet rich in fat and low in fiber and an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. (Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the U.S.)

To examine the effects a high-fat diet has on the colon, scientists at Rockefeller University in New York City fed laboratory mice either a standard diet of 5 percent fat and a generous amount of vitamin D and calcium or a Western diet containing 20 percent fat and adequate but low levels of vitamin D and calcium for three or six months.

At the end of the study, the mice given the Western diet were heavier and had more fat tissue than those on the control diet. They also had an alteration in an expression of genes that are associated with immune and inflammatory responses, as well as an increase in the number of macrophages, cells linked with inflammation in the colon, and an increase in colon oxidative stress genes associated with inflammation. The results from the data, say the researchers, suggests a potential trigger for a carcinogenic process that may lead to colon cancer.

 Eating a diet low in fat and high in fiber is not only a good preventive measure to blunt colon cancer risk but it can also help reduce the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome as well. To get the health benefits you need, stick to a diet that includes:

  • Sufficient amounts of whole grains. Look for breads that list whole wheat, whole-wheat flour, or another whole grain as the first ingredient on package labels. And substitute brown or wild rice for white rice
  • Fruit at every meal. Apples, bananas, oranges, pears and berries are all good sources of fiber
  • Healthy snacks. Fresh and dried fruit, raw vegetables, low-fat popcorn, a handful of nuts and whole-grain crackers are all good fiber-rich sources

A word of caution: While high-fiber foods are good for your overall health, if you add too much to your diet quickly, they can cause intestinal upset, including gas, abdominal bloating, and cramping. By increasing your fiber intake slowly over a few weeks, the natural bacteria in your digestive system will have time to adjust to the change.