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TOPLINE:

Adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet — which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, nuts, and low-fat dairy — was associated with a 19% reduced risk for colorectal cancer (CRC), with stronger protective effects observed in men than in women.

METHODOLOGY:

• Conflicting evidence exists on the link between adherence to the DASH diet and CRC risk, highlighting the need for a comprehensive analysis.
• Researchers performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies analyzing the association between adherence to the DASH diet and CRC risk.
• Effect sizes were reported as hazard ratios, odds ratios, or relative risks (RRs) in the included studies, with most studies analyzing outcomes in both men and women.
• The methodological quality of the studies was independently assessed using relevant parameters.

TAKEAWAY:

• Researchers included 14 studies: Eight cohort studies, four case-control studies, one cross-sectional study, and one comparative analysis; all studies had a low to moderate risk for bias and moderate to high quality.
• DASH adherence was associated with a significantly reduced risk for CRC (RR, 0.81), as analyzed in 13 effect sizes from nine articles.
• Risk reduction was greater in men (RR, 0.77) than in women (RR, 0.84).
• DASH adherence was associated with a 25% reduced risk for rectal cancer and a 17% reduced risk for colon cancer, according to an analysis of six and five effect sizes, respectively.
• Analysis of four effect sizes showed a substantially reduced risk for colorectal adenoma following adherence to the DASH diet (RR, 0.42).

IN PRACTICE:

“The DASH diet can be a valuable component of a personalized plan for many in high-risk groups, but it shouldn’t be presented as a one-size-fits-all solution,” the authors wrote. “Registered dietitians and healthcare professionals play a crucial role in creating tailored dietary plans that are both effective and achievable for each individual,” they added.

SOURCE:

Mohammad Mehdi Abbasi of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Paria Babaahmadi of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Shiraz, and Fateme Nozari of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, all in Iran, led the study. It was published online in BMC Gastroenterology.

LIMITATIONS:

Included studies used different methods to assess DASH adherence, and its application varied across cultures and populations. Differences in various cooking styles, such as grilling, which might induce carcinogenesis, were not addressed. Colon and rectal adenomas were not specifically addressed in the included studies.

DISCLOSURES:

This study received no financial support. The authors declared having no competing interests.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.