Fiber May Not Protect Against Colon Polyps

TUCSON, Ariz.--Dietary fiber consumption does notseem to affect colon polyp recurrence, a marker for colon cancer, according to are-analysis of the Wheat Bran Fiber trial conducted by researchers at theUniversity of Arizona. Their analysis of the trial was published in the Nov. 6issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (94, 21:1620-5,2002) (http://jncicancerspectrum.oupjournals.org).

The Wheat Bran Fiber trial was a double blind phase IIIintervention trial in which 1,429 participants who had one or more polypsremoved within the previous three months were assigned to receive either ahigh-fiber (13.5 g/d) or low-fiber (2 g/d) cereal supplement for no less thanthree years. To analyze the data in consideration of baseline fiber consumption,researchers, led by Elizabeth T. Jacobs, Ph.D., of the Arizona Cancer Center,Tucson, separated the participants into four groups depending on baseline fiberconsumption and then calculated the risk of polyp recurrence in each group. Theyalso analyzed the effect of baseline fiber intake from specific food sources onpolyp recurrence. Results indicated no protective effect from baseline fiberintake, and there was no association noted between baseline intake of fiber fromthe three leading sources of dietary fiber--fruits; breads, cereals andcrackers; and vegetables.