Bum's Rush?

Colorectal (Bowel) cancer is the third most common cancer. It seems likely that a plant-based diet can cut men's risk of this disease (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/29/plant-based-diet-reduce-bowel-cancer-risk-in-men-research). A very substantial study, in BMC Medicine, recruited almost 80,000 US-based men and over 93,000 women to self-report their daily consumptions of particular foods and drinks. Self-reporting is always a bit dubious, as it relies on honesty, memory and accuracy. Men with a diet rich in vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes (peas and beans), had a 22% cut in their bowel cancer risk. No such link was evident, however, in women. Some men may have been more likely to eat large amounts of meat, making the contrast with vegetable-eating counterparts stronger? Ultraprocessed food, based on plants or fungi, are likely to increase bowel cancer risks. Women might have been more attracted to these marketed 'alternatives', perhaps 'contaminating' the positive effects of vegetable-based diets. Encouraging both men and women to have healthier diets must improve their health and reduce 'greenhouse gas' emissions!