In a recent study published in the journal eBioMedicine , researchers performed a genome-wide interaction analysis to investigate whether genetic variants potentially modify the association between fiber, fruit, and vegetable intake and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). They successfully identified two significant loci that modify the association of fiber and fruit intake with CRC risk. Study: Genome-wide interaction study of dietary intake of fibre, fruits, and vegetables with risk of colorectal cancer .
Image Credit: Anatomy Image / Shutterstock CRC is highly prevalent globally, with nearly two million incident cases and more than 900,000 deaths in 2020. High intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dietary fiber is reported to reduce CRC risk. While there is strong evidence for the association between CRC risk and the intake of whole grains and dietary fiber, there remains limited evidence for the association between CRC risk and the intake of fruits and vegetables.
Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) could identify at least 200 loci linked to CRC risk, accounting for up to 35% of heritability. Although gene-environment interactions (G × E) could potentially explain additional heritability, prior studies with small sample sizes and traditional methods found only limited significant gene-diet interactions. New statistical approaches, such as joint tests and two-step methods that prioritize single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), may potentially improv.
