High-fibre, low-saturated-fat diet and the aetiology of colo-rectal carcinomata in a low-risk population.

The Chilean population exhibits a very low risk for colo-rectal cancer. The farm workers have a high-fibre, low-saturated-fat diet and also an extremely low age-adjusted death rate for colonic and rectal cancer, in each sex. A highly significant positive correlation between age-adjusted death rates from arteriosclerotic heart disease in males and colonic and rectal cancer death rates suggests that high levels of saturated fats and/or cholesterol in the diet may be incriminated for high death rates from large bowel cancer. It is concluded that high plant fibre content and low levels of saturated fats and/or cholesterol in the diet may be important factors influencing the very low age-adjusted death rates from colo-rectal carcinoma in Chilean farm workers.