Eating a vegetarian diet is linked to a lower risk of colorectal cancers according to a new study.

That's the findings from researchers at Loma Linda University who studied almost 80,000 Seventh Day Adventist men and women. Researchers found vegetarians had a 22 percent lower risk for all colorectal cancers compared to non-vegetarians.

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Among a group of 77,659 participants, researchers identified 380 cases of colon cancer and 110 cases of rectal cancer. When compared to meat eaters, vegetarians proved to have a 22 percent lower risk of developing any type of colorectal cancer.

More specifically, vegetarians had a 19 percent lower risk of colon cancer and a 29 percent lower risk of rectal cancer.

Vegans were found to have a 16 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer, lacto-ovo individuals had an 18 percent lower risk, and pescovegetarians had a 43 percent lower risk.

"It confirms what everybody listening should be doing everyday eating five, six or seven servings of fruits and vegetables - breakfast, lunch and dinner for your heart health, brain health, lowest risk of diabetes and now we know colorectal cancer," said Wayne State University preventive cardiologist Joel Khan.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States and researchers have been working to identify ways to prevent it. This new study suggests dietary factors could have a huge influence on colorectal cancer risk.

The detailed findings appeared in the recent edition of the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

TagsVegetarian Diet Helps Lowering Risk of Colorectal Cancer, Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Vegan, vegetarian diet, pesco-vegetarian diet, Seventh Day Adventist