Past Food Vitals Webinars

HOSTED BY DOCTORS FOR NUTRITION

Doctors For Nutrition’s Six Pillars webinar explored the role of fibre from whole plant foods in bowel cancer prevention.

Bowel cancer is Australia’s fourth most common and second deadliest cancer, while New Zealand has one of the highest bowel cancer rates in the world, where it is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death. Worryingly, early-onset bowel cancer has risen by around 266% since the 1980s, with people under 50 now accounting for about 1 in 10 cases. It is also the leading cause of cancer death among Australians aged 25–54 and New Zealanders under 50.

Diet significantly influences bowel cancer risk. High intake of processed/red meat, fast food, and refined carbohydrates increases risk, particularly for early-onset colorectal cancer. Conversely, fibre-rich whole plant foods reduce colorectal cancer risk by up to 40%.

Nutrition remains under-taught in medical education. Barriers to nutrition counselling in general practice include lack of time, confidence, and knowledge. GPs require enhanced education on nutrition’s role in bowel cancer prevention and practical strategies for time-limited consultations.

This webinar provides GPs and other health professionals with vital information on how an eating pattern focused on whole plant foods and other lifestyle interventions can reduce their patients’ risk of developing bowel cancer.

Following the recorded presentation is a question and answer section that was answered live by Drs Reynolds and Johnston.

Learning objectives:

Describe the epidemiology of bowel cancer in Australia, including the rising incidence of early‑onset colorectal cancer, and explain the role of diet in prevention.
Identify at least two evidence‑based dietary recommendations for bowel cancer prevention, as outlined in RACGP behavioural guidelines.
Apply brief, practical strategies to integrate nutrition counselling on fibre and diet into time‑limited general practice consultations, and recognise when to refer patients for further dietetic support.

Speakers:

Dr Andrew Reynolds
Andrew Reynolds is a Research Associate Professor at Otago University, New Zealand. He is interested in lifestyle risk factors such as what we eat and when we move, and health outcomes such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. He works with both randomised controlled trials in non-communicable disease management and meta-analyses in non-communicable disease prevention and management.

Dr Peter Johnston
Peter Johnston is an Accredited Practising Dietitian with a Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics and a PhD in Human Genetics. Peter is also a fellow of the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine and has completed health coaching training with WellStart Health. He has been exclusively plant-based since 1991 after learning of the health, environmental and ethical benefits. Peter runs a private practice: Perfect Human Food Consulting, offering individual consultations, public speaking, webinars, workplace health programs, and residential reboot programs. He has expertise in the prevention, treatment and reversal of chronic diseases through the use of whole food plant-based diets and the holistic approach of lifestyle medicine. He enjoys empowering people across all life stages to attain optimal health. Peter has enjoyed attending and speaking at numerous national and international conferences. He has a special interest in the links between food and environment and has also run university lectures in this area.

CPD hours:

This activity is approved for:

• 2.5 CPD hours (Educational Activities) with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)
• 2.5 PDP hours with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM)
• 2.5 CME hours with the International Board of Lifestyle Medicine (IBLM) toward the Lifestyle Medicine Maintenance of Certification (MOC).

CPD hours will be awarded upon viewing the webinar (live or on demand), reviewing two brief supporting papers, and either completing a short quiz (for on-demand viewers) or submitting brief responses to preparatory questions prior to the live session (for live attendees).

Access:

Given the digital nature and immediate accessibility of our on-demand webinars, all associated fees are non-refundable. Paid members will be able to access the webinar recordings for free. Please see our refund policy here.