File photo of Charlie Bell(L) and James Cantalupo(R). The two former McDonald's CEOs, died within a year. As people regret the early ending of their lives, their death raises rumors and criticism of the security of the company's food. (File photo)

    BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Charlie Bell and James Cantalupo, the two former McDonald's CEOs, died within a year. As people regret the early ending of their lives, their death raises rumors and criticism of the security of the company's food.

    Charlie Bell, CEO of McDonald, died of colorectal cancer at the age of 44 on Jan 17, 2005. McDonald's announced his death Sunday evening in the United States.

    In May 2004, a few weeks after taking over from Mr Cantalupo, who died in 2004 April at the age of 60 after suffering a heart attack while attending a McDonald's franchisees convention in Florida, he was told he had colorectal cancer. Bell, who had surgery last May, resigned from his job in November 2004.

    The Australian is an advocate of his own product who would eat McDonald's for breakfast. He worked for McDonald's at age of 15 and had hamburgers since then.

    Although no evidence showed that there was direct link between chips, hamburger and the death of the McDonald's chiefs, the company did not deny that they had eaten much of such fast food.

    Colorectal cancer (which includes cancer of the colon, rectum, anus, and appendix) is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States.

    Colorectal cancer affects men and women almost equally. The number of new cases of colorectal cancer worldwide has been increasing rapidly since 1975. This year nearly 131, 000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 56,000 will die, according to the statistics released at "colorectal-cancer.net".

    Intake of dietary fat and meat is positively related to risk of colorectal cancer. Dietary fibre has been proposed on the basis that increased intake of dietary fibre may increase faecal bulk and reduce transit time.

    Although a connection to diet is unclear, researchers say regular exercise and plenty of fruit and vegetables offer the best protection.

    (Agencies)