Diet, transit time, stool weight, and colon cancer in two Scandinavian populations.

In samples of adult men from two Scandinavian populations with 4-fold differences in colon cancer incidence, a comparison was made of estimated food records over 4 days, defecation habits, mouth-to-anus transit time, and stool weight. The "high incidence" group consumed more white wheat breads and total meat and beer, but less potatoes and milk than the "low incidence" group. Defecation habits were similar. Transit time and stool weight had few significant correlations with diet and defecation habits, but stool weights were higher in the low incidence group. The results are consistent with a possible protective role of dietary fiber, unrelated to transit time.