Researchers from Vanderbilt University have found that high fibre diet and yogurt help reduce lung cancer risk.

The findings, published in the journal JAMA Oncology, are based on an analysis of data from studies involving 1.4 million adults in the USA, Europe and Asia.

“Our study provides strong evidence supporting the US 2015-2020 Dietary Guideline recommending a high fibre and yogurt diet,” said study senior author Xiao-Ou Shu, professor at the Vanderbilt University in the USA.

For the study, participants were divided into five groups, according to the amount of fibre and yogurt they consumed.

Those with the highest yogurt and fibre consumption had 33 per cent lower lung cancer risk against the group which didn’t consume yogurt and had the least amount of fibre.

“This inverse association was robust, consistently seen across current, past and non-smokers, as well as men, women and individuals with different backgrounds,” she said.

Shu said the health benefits could be rooted in their prebiotic (non-digestible food that promotes growth of beneficial micro-organisms in intestine) and probiotic properties.