Fruit but not vegetable consumption is beneficial for low prevalence of colorectal polyps in a high-risk population: findings from a Chinese Lanxi Pre-colorectal Cancer Cohort study.

Purpose: The available evidence regarding the role of fruit and vegetable consumption in the development of colorectal polyps remains inconclusive, and there is a lack of data on different histopathologic features of polyps. We aimed to evaluate the associations of fruit and vegetable consumption with the prevalence of colorectal polyps and its subtypes in a high-risk population in China. Methods: We included 6783 Chinese participants aged 40–80 years who were at high risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the Lanxi Pre-colorectal Cancer Cohort (LP3C). Dietary information was obtained through a validated food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and colonoscopy screening was used to detect colorectal polyps. Dose–response associations of fruit and vegetable intake with the prevalence of polyps were calculated using multivariate-adjusted regression models, which was reported as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: 2064 cases of colorectal polyps were ascertained in the LP3C during 2018–2019. Upon multivariable adjustments, including the diet quality, fruit consumption was inversely associated with the prevalence of polyps (P trend = 0.02). Participants in the highest tertile of fruit intake had a 25% lower risk (OR: 0.75; 95% CI 0.62‒0.92) compared to non-consumers, while vegetable consumption had no significant association with polyp prevalence (P trend = 0.86). In terms of colorectal histopathology and multiplicity, higher fruit intake was correlated with 24, 23, and 33% lower prevalence of small polyps (OR: 0.76; 95% CI 0.62‒0.94; P trend = 0.05), single polyp (OR: 0.77; 95% CI 0.62‒0.96; P trend = 0.04), and distal colon polyps (OR: 0.67; 95% CI 0.51‒0.87; P trend = 0.003), respectively. Conclusions: Fresh fruit is suggested as a protective factor to prevent colorectal polyps in individuals at high risk of CRC, and should be underscored in dietary recommendations, particularly for high-risk populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]