MEDITERRANEAN DIET AND REDUCED RISK OF COLORECTAL

Resumo

Colorectal cancer is among the most common carcinomas worldwide, representing a significant challenge for public health due to its high morbidity and mortality rates and the socioeconomic impact associated with diagnosis and treatment. Various modifiable risk factors, such as sedentary lifestyles, obesity, and unhealthy dietary patterns, contribute significantly to its development. In this context, preventive lifestyle strategies have gained prominence, especially in the field of nutrition. The Mediterranean diet, characterized by a high consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, and fish, stands out for its anti -inflammatory, antioxidant, and gut microbiota - regulating effects, and is being widely investigated for its potential protective role against the development of colorectal cancer. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between the Mediterranean diet and a decreased likelihood of colorectal cancer, based on findings from non - experimental research, evidence syntheses, and statistical integrations. To investigate the anti - inflammatory and antioxidant actions of foods. To examine the reduction in contact time of harmful substances with the colonic mucosa through high-fiber meals. To evaluate the role of dietary intake in controlling precursor lesions and stages of carcinogenesis. In addition, it is necessary to highlight the Mediterranean diet as a modifiable lifestyle habit in maintaining gastrointestinal homeostasis. A narrative literature review was conducted using the PubMed database, selected due to its broad coverage of biomedical and nutritional studies. The search included articles published between 2020 and 2025, using the MeSH descriptors “Mediterranean diet”, “colorectal ca ncer”, and “reduction of colorectal cancer”, combined with the Boolean operator AND. Inclusion criteria comprised full -text articles with free access and classified as meta -analyses investigating the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and colorectal cancer prevention. Exclusion criteria included articles outside the established period, studies unrelated to the proposed theme, and publications without direct relevance to colorectal cancer prevention. The articles were initially screened through title and abstract analysis, followed by full -text reading of eligible studies. By convenience sampling, the first 10 articles that met the eligibility criteria were selected for inclusion in this review. The selected studies were analyzed descript ively, emphasizing the effects of the Mediterranean diet on inflammation, oxidative stress, intestinal microbiota, and colorectal carcinogenesis. Scientific studies reveal that greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet is linked to the mitigation of colorectal cancer, with an estimated decrease in incidence of between 15% and 26%. Results were homogeneous across various demographic groups and resulted in a reduced incidence of precursor lesions, such as polyps. Thus, fiber, antioxidants, and inflammatory modulation contributed to this effect. Thus, it is observed that the Mediterranean diet is linked to a lower risk of colorectal carcinoma, corresponding to the results of anti- inflammatory, antioxidant and intestinal microbiota effects. Although observati onal evidence exists, it stands out as an effective preventive method.