Health · Fitness & Nutrition · 7 hrs ago
Specialist recommends fibre-rich foods to help lower bowel cancer risk
Bowel cancer specialist Dr Ravindhi Murphy says diet can affect a person’s risk of bowel cancer.
Studies suggest that diet may be linked to up to a third of cases, though it is not possible to explain every case.
The story focuses on advice for people in Britain, where only about four per cent meet the recommended daily fibre intake of 30 grams.
Murphy suggests meals with oats, fruit, nuts, seeds and wholegrain bread to add fibre and support a diverse mix of gut bacteria.
She advises avoiding processed meats such as bacon and sausages, which are classed as carcinogenic.
The dietary choices matter because research cited in the story links higher fibre intake with lower bowel cancer risk.
The story gives meal ideas but does not describe any next steps or a policy change.
Bowel cancer specialist Dr Ravindhi Murphy recommends fibre-rich foods and varied plant-based meals to help reduce bowel cancer risk.
She says food can affect the gut microbiome, which may either protect against bowel cancer or contribute to it.
A study involving almost 2 million people found that higher dietary fibre intake was associated with lower bowel cancer risk.
Murphy advises choosing foods such as oats, wholegrain bread, fruit, nuts and seeds, and avoiding processed meats such as bacon and sausages.
The article says studies suggest up to a third of bowel cancers may be related to diet.
- Who
- Bowel cancer specialist Dr Ravindhi Murphy gives dietary advice.
- What
- She recommends fibre-rich and plant-based foods to help lower bowel cancer risk.
- When
- The article was published on 12 October 2026.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- Diet can affect bowel cancer risk, in part by changing the gut microbiome.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
What we eat is critical in shaping your risk of bowel cancer,
Research is consistently showing that our microbiome - the trillions of bacteria in our gut - is key in either protecting us from bowel cancer, or driving it.
The more plant-based foods you eat, the more diverse your gut bacteria is likely to be,
Processed meats like bacon, sausages and some deli meats are a group one carcinogen which means that the evidence that they can cause bowel cancer is strong.
A meta-analysis involving almost 2 million people found that higher dietary fibre intake was associated with lower bowel cancer risk.
An Irish study found that bowel cancer patients generally had less diverse gut bacteria than people without the disease.
The Daily Mail published Dr Murphy’s dietary recommendations.
- Specialist
- Dr Ravindhi Murphy
- Fibre finding
- Each additional 10g of fibre was linked to a 10% lower chance of bowel cancer in the cited meta-analysis.
- Meta-analysis
- Almost 2 million people
- Recommended fibre intake
- 30g daily
- Britons meeting fibre recommendation
- Around 4%
Sources
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