# Fiber-rich Foods to Treat Obesity and Prevent Colon Cancer

> **NIH NIH R01** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $637,531

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Obesity is a significant public health concern and a well-known risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC).
Western diet, high in calories and fat and deficient in fiber-rich foods, is a key driver of metabolic diseases like
obesity and CRC. High-fiber diets including foods like legumes, such as dry beans and lentils, could have
favorable effects on underlying biological responses that mediate the obesity-cancer relationship including
insulin signaling, chronic inflammation, gastrointestinal motility, gut microbiota changes and the balance
between cell proliferation and apoptosis. We propose to build upon our previous research demonstrating that
short-term strictly monitored increases in fiber-rich food consumption facilitates weight loss and suppresses
biomarkers of cancer risk. The goal of the current research is to conduct a 12-month parallel arm randomized
clinical trial featuring pre-portioned entrées and strategic nutritional instruction to integrate legumes into a
healthy high-fiber diet pattern. Over the course of the intervention participants will receive intense education
combined with behavior modification, transitioning to self-directed and finally sustainable maintenance phases.
The research will target a diverse population at highest risk for CRC (recruit n=70; 50% males / 50% females),
overweight and obese participants with a history of polypectomy, to test whether a high-legume, high-fiber diet
will increase weight loss and suppress colonic mucosal biomarkers of cancer risk compared to a control diet. In
addition, we will explore potential beneficial effects of the high-legume intervention diet on the microbiome and
metabolome, gastrointestinal transit time and on systemic biomarkers of inflammation and insulin resistance.
Given the 20-fold differences in CRC between populations consuming high-fiber diets and low-fiber Western
diets, the results of this study may demonstrate substantial potential for dietary change to reduce mortality from
CRC and other westernized diseases.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10217059
- **Project number:** 5R01CA245063-02
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Terryl J. Hartman
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $637,531
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-07-15 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10217059

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10217059, Fiber-rich Foods to Treat Obesity and Prevent Colon Cancer (5R01CA245063-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10217059. Licensed CC0.

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