Updates to the UK government's dietary guidelines or official nutrition advice

University of Oxford Study Finds Daily Glass of Milk May Reduce Bowel Cancer Risk by 17%

Jan 8, 2025, 03:11 PM

A new study from the University of Oxford, published in Nature Communications, suggests that consuming a daily glass of milk, which provides around 300mg of calcium, could reduce the risk of bowel cancer by approximately 17%. The research analyzed dietary data from over half a million women over nearly 17 years. The findings indicate that calcium from both dairy and non-dairy sources, such as leafy greens and fortified soy milk, contributes to this protective effect. However, the study also found that increased consumption of alcohol and processed meats raises the risk of bowel cancer, with a large glass of wine daily linked to a 15% increase and an additional 30g of red or processed meat per day associated with an 8% increase in risk.