Dietary and Lifestyle Factors Associated with Colorectal Cancer Risk and Interactions with Microbiota: Fiber, Red or Processed Meat and Alcoholic Drinks

BACKGROUND: Diets and lifestyles have been strongly associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). In the past several decades, emerging evidence has suggested that the gut microbiota may have a role in the development of CRC. Its interaction with diets and lifestyles could affect the carcinogenesis of CRC. SUMMARY: This review presents the most recent epidemiologic and experimental evidence of three factors that may convincingly have a role in CRC, including fiber, red or processed meat, and alcohol, focusing on potential mechanisms and their interactions with the gut microbiota. KEY MESSAGE: High consumption of fiber, low consumption of red or processed red meat as well as minimizing alcohol intake have been associated with a lower risk of CRC. Many microbial metabolites formed from those three substances may mediate the microbial diversity and the composition and abundance of the gut microbiota, which eventually affects the balance between health and disease, including CRC. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Based on our synthetic review, clinicians may probably offer some recommendations and explanations to their patients who may want to modulate their diet and lifestyle to prevent CRC. As an easily modifiable environmental factor, it may be possible that applying dietary or lifestyle intervention could effectively protect against the development of CRC in the future.