Higher consumption of flavanol-rich fruit and vegetables could help reduce risk of colorectal cancer by up to 76 per cent, according to researchers in the US.

Findings published in the latest issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention suggest that increased intake of foods rich in antioxidant flavanols, such as tea, onions, beans and apples, can protect against colorectal cancer.

The study, which included more than 2,000 men and women, investigated the effect of a low-fat, high fibre diet, with an increased intake of fruit and vegetables on the recurrence of pre-cancerous polyps in the colon and rectum.

The researchers found that a diet rich in flavonols could be linked to a 76 per cent reduction in the recurrence of advanced tumours.

Commenting on the study, lead author Gerd Bobe, from the National Cancer Institute, concluded: "Our data suggest that a flavonol-rich diet may decrease the risk of advanced adenoma recurrence."

According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated one million new cases of the cancer are diagnosed globally each year, making it the third most common form of cancer worldwide.

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