[The role of the diet in the prevention of gastrointestinal tumors]. / Ernährungstipps zur Prävention gastrointestinaler Tumoren. Obst und Gemüse sind die Favoriten.

ABSTRACT

Second only to cardiovascular diseases, malignant tumors are the most common fatal disease, with malignant neoplasms in the gastrointestinal tract playing an important role. Underlying the most numerous of these malignancies is a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. The data relating to the role of environmental factors (for the most part dietary factors) in the development of gastrointestinal tumors derive mainly from, epidemiological research. The current evidence is "convincin" with regard to complex lifestyle patterns, but at most "plausible" when the chemically defined individual substances are considered. Summarizing the potential protective value of dietary factors reveals that the risk of contracting the majority of the gastrointestinal tumors can be reduced by increasing the intake of fruit and vegetables. An additional protective effect is associated with a balanced diet, physical activity, preservation of normal weight, avoidance of smoking, and moderation in the amount of alcohol consumed.