title: Diet, nutrients, and gastrointestinal cancer.
abstract: Tobacco and alcohol use are strong risk factors for cancer of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Saturated fat and red meat intake also appear to increase the risk of colorectal cancer. The strongest and most consistent dietary protective factors for gastrointestinal cancer are vegetables and fruits. Some micronutrients show beneficial effects, but the degree of protection is less than that observed from whole plant foods. Substantial decreases in the morbidity and mortality from gastrointestinal cancer could occur with more widespread adoption of dietary guidelines designed for cancer prevention.
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive Medicine, Mayo Medical School, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Hensrud
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Heimburger
mesh_terms: D004032:Diet; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate