A new study found that eating yogurt regularly may lower the risk of colorectal cancer by diversifying the gut microbiome. By contrast, a poor diet, obesity, and a lack of physical activity increase the risk of the disease.
Researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Boston Cancer Institute, Fukushima Medical University, and the University of Tokyo say yogurt can help protect against colorectal cancer — but only if it’s eaten regularly.
Colorectal cancer is a major health problem, and incidence rates are rising worldwide, especially among younger people.
What Did the Researchers Discover?
The researchers say the rise is largely driven by modern diets high in ultra-processed foods, along with obesity and low levels of physical activity.
Previous research has highlighted the role of gut bacteria in maintaining intestinal health. The authors analyzed decades of data from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Altogether they used detailed dietary information from about 150,000 people, including how often they ate yogurt.
That dataset let them examine the link between yogurt intake and colorectal cancer risk, and the researchers concluded the association is compelling.
For example, people who ate two or more servings of yogurt per week had a 20 percent lower incidence of proximal colon cancer — a common and serious form of colorectal cancer.
The authors wrote that long-term yogurt consumption may be linked to lower proximal colon cancer incidence depending on levels of bifidobacteria, suggesting an anti-tumor effect in a specific subgroup.
The study suggests yogurt could be more than just a healthy food — it might help prevent colorectal cancer. The researchers say these findings need confirmation in larger studies, and they want to investigate which types of bacteria might fight tumor development.
They called for more research to clarify how long-term yogurt consumption might influence colorectal carcinogenesis.
The study was published in the journal Gut Microbes.
