Healthy living before bowel cancer diagnosis ‘can enhance survival’

People diagnosed with bowel cancer stand a better chance of survival if they have led a healthy lifestyle before their diagnosis.

This is according to a study from Imperial College London, which analysed data from 520,000 men and women from ten countries over six years. Of these patients,3,292 were diagnosed with bowel cancer.

It was found that a balanced diet, keeping physically active and maintaining a healthy weight were all associated with an improved likelihood of survival, particularly among those with a high consumption of plant foods.

There was also an association seen with women who breastfed and improved survival.

Tom Stansfeld, health information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "While healthy choices may have a positive impact on bowel cancer survival, there are many different factors that could affect a person’s lifestyle after a cancer diagnosis."

Bowel cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the UK, with around 40,000 new cases diagnosed every year.