Soya can reduce bowel cancer risk

Saturday, April 11, 2009 - 03:42 in Health & Medicine

• Study shows 'significant' effect, notably for over-50s • Experts call for research to be extendedWomen who drink soya lattes, eat tofu sausages and prefer soy to cows' milk may be helping to reduce their risk of getting bowel cancer, new research suggests. Those, especially over-50s, who consume a lot of soy can "significantly" cut their risk of developing the disease, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers who studied the diet and health of 68,412 women aged 40-70 in Shanghai concluded: "After adjustment for age, birth calendar year and total energy intake, consumption of soy foods was significantly associated with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer. We found that risk of colorectal cancer decreased with increasing soy food intake, primarily among postmenopausal women. "The risk decreased more than 30% among women who were in the top tertile [third] of soy food intake compared with...

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