Background: A diet including vegetables and fruit is suggested to be a part of a healthy diet associated with a low colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. However, consumption of vegetables and fruit varies in daily life. Therefore, we determined whether the intake of vegetables and fruit is associated with the CRC risk in the Thai population.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled participants (n=1,172) who underwent CRC screening and completed a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Information on food items, which focused on vegetables and fruit, was analyzed to elucidate the association with colonoscopy findings.
Results: Consumption of fresh fruit was related to a lower risk of CRC. Consuming sweet and mildly sweet fruits more than once a week revealed odds ratios (ORs) of 0.63 (0.43 to 0.92) and 0.63 (0.41 to 0.98), respectively, in patients with polyps and CRC. Conversely, processed canned fruit increased the risk with OR 4.68 (1.56 to 14.03) in the high risk group with CRC.
Conclusion: The protective benefits of vegetable and fruit involved appropriate food processing, consumption quantity, and frequency. The processing involved adding sugar and calories, which increased the risk of developing CRC.

Keywords: Colorectal cancer, Nutrition, Vegetable and fruit intake, Thai population