Mediterranean diet and colorectal adenomas

Colorectal adenomas (CRAs) are epithelial lesions of the large bowel that can develop into colorectal cancer. Some studies have shown an inverse association of the Mediterranean diet (MED) with adenoma, but the extent of the association is equivocal. A study assessed the association between MED and CRAs by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis.
A comprehensive systematic literature search of observational studies was conducted via PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and Web of Sciences up to May 2023. Studies were included in the review if they evaluated the association between MED and CRA, following an observational study design. Six studies were included in this study.
Adherence to MED was inversely associated with CRA risk (odds ratio, 0.79; confidence interval, 0.73-0.85); implying that higher adherence to MED could reduce the risk of CRA by ~21%. Stratification by the year of studies, sex, study design, country and exposure showed a significant association between MED and CRA.
The results of the current study provide evidence of an inverse association between adherence to MED and CRAs.
Source: Jafari Nasab S, Clark CCT, Entezari M. Mediterranean diet and colorectal adenomas: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Eur J Cancer Prev. 2024 May 1;33(3):223-231. doi.org/10.1097/CEJ.0000000000000861.