People With A Predisposition To Cancer Can Reduce The Risk By Cutting Out Snack Foods

People born with a genetic predisposition to colorectal and other cancers – a condition known as Lynch syndrome – could reduce their risk by eliminating most snack foods from their diet, scientists in The Netherlands report. Lynch syndrome is caused by mutations in genes involved with repairing DNA within cells. Earlier studies have found a link between red and processed meats and alcohol consumption and an increased risk of cancer. For the study, researchers gathered dietary information from 486 individuals with Lynch syndrome, then followed up nearly two years later. Lynch syndrome patients who ate more fast food snacks, chips, or fried snacks were twice as likely to develop cancerous polyps as patients who consumed fewer snacks.