New Study Finds Higher Cancer Risk With American Diet

Ever wondered the immediate effects of the not-so-healthy food you consume? Well, a recent study looked into that.

A team of scientists did a “diet swap” between 20 American and 20 rural South African volunteers and the results were overwhelming. For two weeks, the African participants ditched their high-fiber, healthy diet in favor of a typical Western diet of processed and high fat foods. Americans gave up the junk food for a fortnight to eat more legumes, fruits and vegetables.

Although the swap only took place for two weeks, the immediate results were clear. According to the study, the American participants had an apparent reduction in gut inflammation while the African ones showed deteriorating bowel health and increased risk for colon cancer.

The big key to this was looking at polyps in the gut lining. In half the American volunteers, the polyps were already present and, although not cancerous, could develop into colon cancer. In all of the African volunteers, there were no polyps present in the bowels—indicating a healthy gut system.

The good news? The quick turnaround for American gut health shows that it’s never too late to make a diet change.

If cancer risk can be greatly reduced in a matter of a couple of weeks, a dedication to a better diet that’s high in fiber may greatly reduce your chances of developing the third most common cancer in the U.S.