WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Eating two servings of yogurt a week reduces the risk of colorectal cancer in men, a study at the University of Washington School of Medicine found.

The study included data from more than 32,000 males and more than 55,000 women who underwent laparoscopic colonoscopy between 1986 and 2012. Participants gave detailed information on their health, lifestyle, diet and exercise habits every four years.

About 6,000 cases of colorectal cancer were reported in men during that time, abnormal tissue could sometimes become cancerous in men, and 8116 cases of glands in women.

Compared with men who did not eat yogurt, those who ate at least two servings per week were 19 percent less likely to develop traditional adenomas, the most common type of colorectal cancer. Those who ate yogurt were also 26 percent less likely to develop tumors of the glands, which are more likely to become cancerous tumors.

"Our data provide new evidence of the role of yogurt in the early stage of colorectal cancer," said Dr Yen Cao, who co-authored the study from the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Previous studies have linked yogurt consumption with a lower risk of colorectal cancer, and some scientists believe this may be because yogurt promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestines. But little is known about how yogurt may affect people's risk of glandular tumors.