High Intake of Sugary Foods and Bowel Cancer – Anton Bilchik Discusses the Connection

Eating a large amount of sugary foods can increase your risk for bowel cancer, according to a study published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention. Dr. Evropi Theodoratou, of the University of Edinburgh’s School of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences, says, “Previous research has linked the development of the disease with high consumption of processed meat, but this is the first time that a link with high energy snacks and drinks has been observed.”

Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer when it involves the rectum or lower intestine, is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women. There had been a longstanding myth that sugar makes cancer cells grow faster – Anton Bilchik assures his patients that this is not true. All living cells, including cancer cells, use sugar for energy, but giving cancer cells more sugar does not speed their growth. Likewise, depriving cancer cells of sugar does not slow the spread of cancer.

However, years of research suggests that people who eat large amounts of fat, meat, and sugar have an increased risk for developing colorectal cancer; those who consume a great deal of fruits, vegetables and whole grains seem less likely to develop bowel cancer. The link between diet and colon cancer are not yet clear, but Anton Bilchik and other physicians recommend patients eat a nutritious diet, increase physical activity, and maintain a healthy weight to reduce the risk for colorectal cancer.