Research: Strangely, fruits and vegetables increases chances of colon cancer in smokers

A diet heavy in fruits and vegetables has always been recommended. Fruits and vegetables, if increased as a proportion of overall diet, is always helpful. Consumption of fruits and vegetables replaces other unhealthy items in the overall diet such as fried items or junk food. Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is also useful in the fight against cancer. However, surprisingly, there is one category where an increased consumption of fruits and vegetables actually increases the risk of colon cancer, among smokers (link to article):

A high intake of fruit and vegetables appeared to reduce the risk among non-smokers but seemed to have the reverse effect on smokers, findings by the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) showed. “People who eat 600 grammes or more vegetables and fruit a day appear to have a 20 to 25% lower chance of developing colon cancer than people who eat 220 grammes or less,” said the statement.
“For smokers, the consumption of vegetables and fruit appears, on the contrary, to increase the chances of colon cancer. Protection against colon cancer through the consumption of vegetables and fruit therefore appears to depend on smoking habits.” Colon cancer is the second-most common form of the disease in the Netherlands, after breast cancer, with 11,000 new cases diagnosed every year.

This was a surprising piece of information, and the conclusions from such a study is not reduce the consumption of fruits or vegetables, but to stop smoking.