New study claims a high fibre diet could reduce lung cancer risk

Consuming a high fibre diet and yoghurt could significantly reduce your risk of lung cancer, according to a new study conducted by a team of researchers from Vanderbilt University.

For the study, the team studied data from research that included close to 1.4 million adults in the United States (US), Europe and Asia. Researchers divided the participants into five groups based on the amount of fibre and yoghurt they consumed. The team found the risk of lung cancer was reduced by 33 per cent for those who consumed the highest amount of fibre and yoghurt.

"Our study provides strong evidence supporting the US 2015-2020 Dietary Guideline recommending a high fibre and yoghurt diet," study senior author Xiao-Ou Shu, a professor at the Vanderbilt University in the US, told a news portal. Adding, "This inverse association was robust, consistently seen across current, past and non-smokers, as well as men, women and individuals with different backgrounds."

Researchers speculate the reason for these health benefits may be due to this diet's prebiotic and probiotic properties. The study's findings were originally published in the journal JAMA Oncology.

Another study, published in The Lancet,found a high fibre diet may help to reduce your risk of non-communicable diseases. "Previous reviews and meta-analyses have usually examined a single indicator of carbohydrate quality and a limited number of diseases so it has not been possible to establish which foods to recommend for protecting against a range of conditions," study authorJim Mann, a professor at the University of Otago, told a news portal. Adding, "Our findings provide convincing evidence for nutrition guidelines to focus on increasing dietary fibre and on replacing refined grains with whole grains. This reduces incidence risk and mortality from a broad range of important diseases."

Experts urge people to regularly consume fibre as it can help improve your digestive system, maintain healthy cholesterol levels and blood sugar levels. A high fibre diet may also reduce your calorie intake and aid weight loss in the process. This type of diet is also extremely beneficial for diabetes patients.

Here are some foods that are rich sources of fibre:
* Carrots
* Broccoli
*Beetroot
* Sweet potato
* Pears
* Apples
* Strawberries
* Avocados
* Banana
* Raspberries
* Chia seeds
* Almonds
* Popcorn
* Oats
* Quinoa
* Chickpeas
* Kidney beans
* Peas
* Lentils

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