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Dr Veena Aggarwal, Consultant Womens’ Health, CMD and Editor-in-Chief, IJCP Group & Medtalks Trustee, Dr KK’s Heart Care Foundation of India 09 January 2023
Favorable changes in lifestyle are associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer, suggests a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.1,2
In this study, a team of European researchers set out to examine if alterations in lifestyle had any impact on the risk of colorectal cancer. A total of 295,865 participants from across Europe were included in the study. Data was sourced from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer cohort. A Healthy Lifestyle Index (HLI) score was calculated based on physical activity, body mass index, smoking status and alcohol consumption. Information was obtained via two questionnaires (baseline and at follow-up) answered at a gap of 5.7 years. The scores ranged from 0 to 16 with higher scores indicative of a healthy lifestyle.
Over a median follow up period of 7.8 years, 2799 participants developed colorectal cancer. For every one unit increase in the healthy lifestyle index (HLI) score, the risk of CRC decreased by 3%. Among the subjects who had an HLI score greater than 11 at baseline, those with a score of ≤9 “unfavorable lifestyle” at follow-up had higher probability of CRC with hazard ratio (HR) 1.34 vs those whose scores remained in the >11 upper tertile “favorable lifestyle”. Among those who scored ≤9 on the HLI Index at study entry, participants with an HLI score of >11 at follow-up lowered their risk of developing CRC with HR 0.77 vs those whose scores remained ≤9 bottom tertile.
Decrease in alcohol intake and body weight and increase in physical activity were associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer.
This study demonstrates an inverse association between a healthy lifestyle and risk of colorectal cancer. Favorable changes in lifestyle and greater adherence to a healthy lifestyle reduced the risk, while failure to adopt and follow a healthy lifestyle increased the risk of colorectal cancer. These findings, state the researchers, add to the evidence supporting “recommendations for healthy lifestyle changes and healthy lifestyle maintenance for CRC prevention”.
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