“Hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia are closely related to the presence of colon polyps. Obesity, high blood sugar, and elevated blood pressure are major diagnostic factors for metabolic syndrome,” researchers from Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital in Korea, wrote in the journal Clinical Nutrition Research.
They found that “weight management and balanced nutritional intake should be emphasised to prevent metabolic syndrome and to improve the condition in patients with colorectal cancer.”
Researchers studied 143 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The patients were divided into two groups, metabolic and normal groups.
The metabolic group consisted of patients with three or more risk factors for metabolic syndrome. The average waistline measurements of the metabolic group was 93.3cm compared to the normal group’s 76.3cm.
Nutrient intakes compared
The mean triglycerides for metabolic was 189.1mg which was higher than the normal group’s 130.5mg average level. The metabolic group also had higher HDL-cholesterol, 50.2mg vs. 38.5mg in the normal group.
A comparison of the two groups’ nutrient intake status revealed that the metabolic group’s consumption of total fat, animal fat, total calcium, animal calcium and phosphorus was higher than the normal group.
However, the normal group had higher intake of fibre, β-carotene, vitamin C, and folic acid.
“In this study, the metabolic syndrome group consumed significantly higher energy, protein, and fat than the normal group and consumed fewer factors that lower blood cholesterol such as fibre, β-carotene, vitamin C, and folate, or consumed fewer antioxidant nutrients,” researchers noted.
Thus, the study suggested that patients with colon cancer need to change their dietary habits to help them recover after colon surgery. Diet and nutrient intake should also be managed if the patient has metabolic syndrome.
The study also suggested that increased triglycerides and cholesterol resulting from alcohol consumption could also lead to obesity, a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease and increased mortality.
“We confirmed that weight management, decreases in fat and saturated fatty acid intake, and increases of fibre and vitamin intake should be implemented to prevent metabolic syndrome in colorectal cancer patients,” the study concluded.
Source: Clinical Nutrition Research
“Association between Nutrient Intake and Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Colorectal Cancer”
Authors: Hee-Sook Lim, Eung-Jin Shin et al.