Abstract

Background: Cancer is the second cause of death globally and nationally in Chile. Various authors conclude that a healthy lifestyle prevents decreases the chances of developing any cancer by 30 to 40%. Objective: Retrospectively evaluate the intake of vitamin C, vitamin E, dietary fiber, fruits, vegetables, and saturated fats, and well as levels of physical activity, alcohol consumption and smoking in patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A descriptive retrospective study was conducted in 22 participants to establish the lifestyle factors associated with colorectal cancer. Food frequency questionnaires, a global physical activity questionnaire, and structured characterization survey were applied. Results: Vitamin C intake was 131.8 mg/day and vitamin E 34.8 mg/day, exceeding the recommended dietary allowances (p<0.05). The dietary fiber intake (8.6 g/day) was lower than the recommendation (p <0.001). Moderate and intense physical activity levels were 418 and 475 min/week respectively, both higher than the recommendation (p=0.029, p=0.015). Conclusions: Low intake of fiber and vegetables may be related to colorectal cancer.