Robert Chapkin on relationships between the gut microbiome, diet, and colorectal cancer

摘要

We have become very familiar with reports in the media comparing the health effects of Western diets, typically heavy in animal fats and proteins, with Asian and Mediterranean diets, which include more fish and place greater emphasis on consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. There is a growing body of evidence that bioactive molecules derived from pesco-vegetarian meals offer better protection against colorectal cancer than meat-based diets. More recent research has delved even deeper into the beneficial and detrimental effects of dietary components at the molecular level-examining how what we eat and drink influences the quantity and diversity of gut bacteria, and, in turn, evaluating the ways in which the gut microbiota may impact colorectal cancer risk. ONCOLOGY recently interviewed cell biologist and nutritional biochemist Robert Chapkin, MSc, PhD, Distinguished Professor and Allen Endowed Chair in Nutrition & Chronic Disease Prevention in the department of nutrition and food science at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, to discuss both his work and the current state of the science in this pioneering area of cancer research.