Food Groups and Alcoholic Beverages and the Risk of Stomach Cancer: A Case-Control Study in Italy

To investigate the role of a wide range of foods and beverages on the risk of stomach cancer, we analyzed data from a case-control study carried out in Italy between 1997 and 2007 on 230 subjects with incident histologically confirmed stomach cancer (143 men and 87 women, age range 22–80 yr) and 547 controls (286 men and 261 women, age range 22–80 yr) admitted to hospital for acute, non-neoplastic diseases. Odds ratios (OR) of stomach cancer and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using unconditional multiple logistic regression models, adjusted for age, sex, energy intake, and other selected variables. A direct association with stomach cancer risk was observed for cereals (OR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.01–4.24, for the highest compared to the lowest quintile of intake, P for trend = 0.03), soups (OR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.10–3.42, P for trend = 0.05), and potatoes (OR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.05–3.98, P for trend = 0.04). Conversely, inverse trends in risk were observed with vegetables (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.27–0.81, P for trend = 0.01) and fruit intake (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.30–0.93, P for trend = 0.08). The results of this study confirm a protective role of vegetables and fruit against stomach cancer and suggest a detrimental effect of (refined) cereals on this neoplasm.     

Association of vegetable, fruit, and grain intakes with colorectal cancer: the Multiethnic Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: It is uncertain whether or not vegetables, fruit, or grains protect against colorectal cancer. OBJECTIVE: In a large prospective study, we investigated the association of vegetable, fruit, and grain intakes with colorectal cancer risk. DESIGN: Between 1993 and 1996, 85 903 men and 105 108 women completed a quantitative food-frequency questionnaire that included approximately 180 foods and beverages in the Multiethnic Cohort Study. A diagnosis of colorectal cancer was made in 1138 men and 972 women after an average follow-up of 7.3 y. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate multivariate-adjusted relative risks and 95% CIs for colorectal cancer. RESULTS: In men, multivariate adjustment for energy intake, dietary, and nondietary variables resulted in relative risks in the highest quintile group of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.59, 0.93; P for trend = 0.02) for vegetables and fruit combined, 0.80 (95% CI: 0.64, 0.99; P for trend = 0.09) for fruit alone, and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.69, 1.05; P for trend = 0.05) for vegetables alone. When colon and rectal cases were separated among men, the inverse associations were stronger for colon than for rectal cancer. In women, none of the associations with vegetables, fruit, or vegetables and fruit combined were significant. Grain intake was not associated with colorectal cancer for either men or women. CONCLUSION: The intake of vegetables and fruit was inversely related to colorectal cancer risk among men but not among women. The association appears stronger for colon than for rectal cancer.     

Intake of Fruits,Vegetables, and Soy Foods in Relation to Breast Cancer Risk in Korean Women: A Case-Control Study

We conducted a case-control study to examine the relationship between fruit, vegetable, and soy food intake and breast cancer risk in Korean women. Incident cases (n = 359) were identified through cancer biopsies between March 1999 and August 2003 at two university hospitals in Seoul, Korea. Hospital-based controls (n = 708) were selected from patients in the same hospitals during the same period. Subjects were asked by personal interview to indicate their average fruit, vegetable, and soy food intake for a 12-mo period 3 yr prior to the baseline phase. A food intake–frequency questionnaire (98 items) was given by a trained dietitian. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by unconditional logistic regression after adjustment for confounding factors and total energy intake. There was no association between the intake of total fruits, vegetables, or soy food and breast cancer risk. Increasing consumption of grapes was linked to a significant protective effect against risk of breast cancer (OR = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.41–0.86; P < 0.01). Among the vegetables, reduced risk was observed with high tomato intake (OR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.38–0.81; P < 0.01). Among soy foods, high consumption of cooked soybeans, including yellow and black soybeans, had an association with reduced breast cancer (OR = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.45–0.91; P < 0.02). Our data suggest that increased intake of some fruits, vegetables, and soy foods may be associated with breast cancer risk reduction in Korean women.     

Impact of consumption of vegetable, fruit, grain, and high glycemic index foods on aggressive prostate cancer risk

Prostate cancer is a common but complex disease, and distinguishing modifiable risk factors such as diet for more aggressive disease is extremely important. Previous work has detected intriguing associations between vegetable, fruit, and grains and more aggressive prostate cancer, although these remain somewhat unclear. Here we further investigate such potential relationships with a case-control study of 982 men (470 more aggressive prostate cancer cases and 512 control subjects). Comparing the highest to lowest quartiles of intake, we found that increasing intakes of leafy vegetables were inversely associated with risk of aggressive prostate cancer [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.46, 0.96; P trend = 0.02], as was higher consumption of high carotenoid vegetables (OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.48, 1.04; P trend = 0.04). Conversely, increased consumption of high glycemic index foods were positively associated with risk of aggressive disease (OR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.57; P trend = 0.02). These results were driven by a number of specific foods within the food groups. Our findings support the hypothesis that diets high in vegetables and low in high glycemic index foods decrease risk of aggressive prostate cancer.     

Intake of fruits, vegetables, and soy foods in relation to breast cancer risk in Korean women: a case-control study

We conducted a case-control study to examine the relationship between fruit, vegetable, and soy food intake and breast cancer risk in Korean women. Incident cases (n=359) were identified through cancer biopsies between March 1999 and August 2003 at two university hospitals in Seoul, Korea. Hospital-based controls (n=708) were selected from patients in the same hospitals during the same period. Subjects were asked by personal interview to indicate their average fruit, vegetable, and soy food intake for a 12-mo period 3 yr prior to the baseline phase. A food intake-frequency questionnaire (98 items) was given by a trained dietitian. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by unconditional logistic regression after adjustment for confounding factors and total energy intake. There was no association between the intake of total fruits, vegetables, or soy food and breast cancer risk. Increasing consumption of grapes was linked to a significant protective effect against risk of breast cancer (OR=0.66; 95% CI=0.41-0.86; P<0.01). Among the vegetables, reduced risk was observed with high tomato intake (OR=0.62; 95% CI=0.38-0.81; P<0.01). Among soy foods, high consumption of cooked soybeans, including yellow and black soybeans, had an association with reduced breast cancer (OR=0.67; 95% CI=0.45-0.91; P<0.02). Our data suggest that increased intake of some fruits, vegetables, and soy foods may be associated with breast cancer risk reduction in Korean women.     

Fruit and vegetable intake and risk of total cancer and cardiovascular disease: Japan Public Health Center-Based Prospective Study

Few studies have investigated the effects of fruit and vegetables on the risk of both cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The authors examined associations between fruit and vegetable consumption and risk of total cancer and CVD in the same Japanese population. During 1995-1998, a validated food frequency questionnaire was administered in nine areas to 77,891 men and women aged 45-74 years. During as many as 459,320 person-years of follow-up until the end of 2002, 3,230 cancer cases and 1,386 CVD cases were identified. Higher consumption of fruit, but not vegetables, was associated with significantly lower risk of CVD: multivariate hazard ratios for the highest versus lowest quartiles of intake were 0.81 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.67, 0.97; trend p = 0.01) for fruit and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.82, 1.15; trend p = 0.66) for vegetables. Consumption of fruit or vegetables was not associated with decreased risk of total cancer: corresponding hazard ratios were 1.02 (95% CI: 0.90, 1.14; trend p = 0.95) for fruit and 0.94 (95% CI: 0.84, 1.05; trend p = 0.16) for vegetables. This prospective cohort study demonstrated that, in the Japanese population, consumption of fruit is associated with lower risk of CVD, whereas fruit or vegetables may not be associated with lower risk of total cancer.     

Dietary intake of soy protein and tofu in association with breast cancer risk based on a case-control study

Soy food and its constituents may protect against breast cancer, but the association between soy intake and decreased breast cancer risk is inconsistent. We evaluated the relationship between breast cancer risk and the dietary intake of soy protein as measured by total soy food and tofu intake. Histologically confirmed cases (n = 362) were matched to controls by age (within 2 yr) and menopausal status. High soy protein intake was associated with reduced breast cancer risk in analyses adjusted for potential confounders including dietary factors among premenopausal women (odds ratio [OR] = 0.39 in the highest quintile, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.22-0.93, P for trend = 0.03) and postmenopausal women (OR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.06-0.88, P for trend = 0.16). We also found an inverse association between total tofu intake and breast cancer risk among premenopausal women (for total tofu intake, OR = 0.23 in the highest quintile, 95% CI = 0.11-0.48, P for trend < 0.01; for at least 1 serving of tofu as the main ingredient per day, OR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.13-0.55, P for trend < 0.01). We concluded that increased regular soy food intake at a level equivalent to traditional Korean consumption levels may be associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer, and this effect is more pronounced in premenopausal women.     

Dietary intake of lycopene is associated with reduced pancreatic cancer risk

Although fruits and vegetables have been implicated in the etiology of pancreatic cancer, the role of phytochemicals in these food groups has received little attention to date. In this study, we investigated the possible association between dietary carotenoids and pancreatic cancer risk. A case-control study of 462 histologically confirmed pancreatic cancer cases and 4721 population-based controls in 8 Canadian provinces took place between 1994 and 1997. Dietary intake was assessed by a self-administered FFQ. Unconditional logistic regression was used to assess associations between specific and total carotenoid intakes and the risk of pancreatic cancer. All tests of statistical significance were 2-sided. After adjustment for age, province, BMI, smoking, educational attainment, dietary folate, and total energy intake, lycopene, provided mainly by tomatoes, was associated with a 31% reduction in pancreatic cancer risk among men [odds ratio (OR) = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.46-0.96; P = 0.026 for trend] when comparing the highest and lowest quartiles of intake. Both beta-carotene (OR = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.32-0.99; P = 0.016 for trend) and total carotenoids (OR = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.34-1.00; P = 0.02 for trend) were associated with a significantly reduced risk among those who never smoked. The results of this study suggest that a diet rich in tomatoes and tomato-based products with high lycopene content may help reduce pancreatic cancer risk.     

Plant foods, antioxidants, and prostate cancer risk: findings from case-control studies in Canada

Epidemiological data on most cancer sites suggest that consumption of plant foods, which contain high levels of antioxidants, might slow or prevent the appearance of cancer. We used data from three case-control studies to test this hypothesis. The total study population consisted of 617 incident cases of prostate cancer and 636 population controls from Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia. Dietary information was collected by an in-person interview with a detailed quantitative dietary history. Unconditional logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A decreasing, statistically significant association was found with increasing intakes of green vegetables (OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.40-0.71 for 4th quartile), tomatoes (OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.45-0.91), beans/lentils/nuts (OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.53-0.91), and cruciferous vegetables (OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.52-0.91 for 3rd quartile). Higher intakes of fruit were associated with higher ORs (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.14-2.01 for 4th quartile), an effect that was seen for total fruit and citrus fruit, as well as for all other noncitrus fruits. Among the grains, refined-grain bread intake was associated with a decrease in risk (OR = 0.65 for 4th quartile), whereas whole-grain breakfast cereals were associated with a higher risk for prostate cancer. Of all the antioxidant nutrients studied, the ORs were higher with higher intakes of cryptoxanthin (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.09-1.89 for 4th quartile). Exposure to certain dietary components of plant origin, which are potentially modifiable, indicates the theoretical scope for reducing the risk from prostate cancer. Future experimental studies or trials are warranted for further understanding.     

Fruit, vegetable, and animal food intake and breast cancer risk by hormone receptor status

The effects of diet on breast cancer are controversial and whether the effects vary with hormone receptor status has not been well investigated. This study evaluated the associations of dietary factors with risk for breast cancer overall and by the hormone receptor status of tumors among Chinese women. The Shanghai Breast Cancer Study, a large, population-based, case-control study, enrolled 3,443 cases and 3,474 controls in 1996-1998 (phase I) and 2002-2005 (phase II); 2676 cases had estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) data. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated, quantitative, food frequency questionnaire. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were derived from multivariate, polychotomous, unconditional logistic regression models. Total vegetable intake was inversely related to breast cancer risk, with an adjusted OR for the highest quintile of 0.80 (95% CI = 0.67-0.95; P trend = 0.02). Reduced risk was also related to high intake of allium vegetables (P trend = 0.01) and fresh legumes (P trend = 0.0008). High intake of citrus fruits and rosaceae fruits were inversely associated with breast cancer risk (P trend = 0.003 and 0.004, respectively), although no consistent association was seen for total fruit intake. Elevated risk was observed for all types of meat and fish intake (all P trend < 0.05), whereas intakes of eggs and milk were associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer (both P trend <0.05). There was little evidence that associations with dietary intakes varied across the 4 tumor subtypes or between ER+/PR+ and ER-/PR- tumors (P for heterogeneity >0.05). Our results suggest that high intake of total vegetables, certain fruits, milk, and eggs may reduce the risk of breast cancer, whereas high consumption of animal-source foods may increase risk. The dietary associations did not appear to vary by ER/PR status.     

Dietary patterns and risk of cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx in Uruguay

From 1995 to 2002, a case-control study on food groups and risk of cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx was conducted in Montevideo, Uruguay. Two hundred thirty cases were frequency-matched to 460 controls on age, residence, and urban/rural status. The study was restricted to men. The relationship between foods and risk of oral and pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma was examined through: 1) individual food group analysis, 2) factor analysis, and 3) determination of empirical scores. The results were similar. Factor analysis generated 2 patterns, which were labeled as "stew" and "vegetables and fruits." The stew pattern loaded positively on boiled meat, cooked vegetables, potato, and sweet potato. This pattern was directly associated with risk of oral and pharyngeal cancer [odds ratio (OR), 3.75; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.99-7.06; P value for trend=0.0002]. The vegetables and fruits factor loaded positively on raw vegetables, citrus fruits, other fruits, liver, fish, and desserts. This pattern was inversely associated with risk of oropharyngeal carcinoma (OR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.18-0.64; P value for trend=0.0008). Joint effects of high intake of risk foods and low intake of protective foods were associated with a risk of 12.0 (95% CI, 4.1-34.6). Our study confirms the important role of dietary factors in oral and pharyngeal cancer risk and suggests that the analysis of dietary patterns is a powerful tool to investigate the links between nutrition and cancer.     

Nutritional factors and breast cancer in Mexico

Breast cancer (BC) morbidity and mortality in Mexico are on the rise, affecting younger women with more frequency. Nutritional factors are often mentioned as determinants of BC but their relevance is not well established in Latin-American countries, where dietary habits show great variation. From a study population previously assembled in Mexico City, 141 histologically confirmed cases of BC were matched by age (+/-3 yr) to an equal number of hospital controls. A food frequency questionnaire was administered to all subjects and the risk of BC was estimated in relation to the intake of selected nutrients. The findings of this study show a protective effect against BC due to a high intake of polyunsaturated fat (odds ratio, OR = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.02-0.40, P for trend = 0.001) and vitamin E (OR = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.02-0.44, P for trend = 0.003) among postmenopausal women. In addition, our findings also suggest that a high intake of total fiber (OR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.08-1.10, P for trend = 0.080) and carotenes (OR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.16-1.14, P for trend = 0.088) lowers BC risk among premenopausal women. The relationship between the intake of nutrients and BC risk needs further confirmation.     

Cruciferous vegetables, mushrooms, and gastrointestinal cancer risks in a multicenter, hospital-based case-control study in Japan

We assessed the possible association of gastrointestinal cancers with cruciferous vegetables and mushrooms in a multicenter, hospital-based case-control study in an agricultural area of Japan. One hundred forty-nine cases and 287 controls for stomach cancer and 115 cases and 230 controls for colorectal cancer were matched by age, sex, and residential area. In stomach cancer, the protective effect of vegetables (consumption of total vegetable) was obscure, but it became clearer when we examined specific kinds of vegetables. Marginal associations were observed in the group of the highest consumption of Chinese cabbage (odds ratio [OR] = 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.35-1.07), broccoli (OR = 0.60; 95% CI = 0.34-1.08), Hypsizigus marmoreus (Bunashimeji) (OR = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.31-1.04) and Pholita nameko (Nameko) (OR = 0.56; 95% CI = 0.30-1.06). In colorectal cancer, we observed decreased risks from the highest tertile of total vegetables (OR = 0.22; 95% CI = 0.08-0.66) and low-carotene-containing vegetables (OR = 0.28; 95% CI = 0.08-0.77), and inverse associations were observed in the group of the highest consumption of broccoli (OR = 0.18; 95% CI = 0.06-0.58). Although the sample size was limited, subgroup analyses showed that the associations differed with the histopathological subtype. These findings suggest that cruciferous vegetables decrease the risk of both stomach and colorectal cancer, and that mushrooms are associated with a decreased risk of stomach cancer.     

Diet and 20-year chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mortality in middle-aged men from three European countries

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation of baseline antioxidant, fruit, vegetable and fish intake with 20 y chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mortality in middle-aged men from three European countries. DESIGN: Prospective study (1970-1990). SETTING: Five population-based cohorts of middle-aged men from Finland, Italy and The Netherlands. SUBJECTS: A total of 2917 men aged 50-69 y at baseline. METHODS: Baseline information on diet was collected using the cross-check dietary history method. After 20 y of follow-up the underlying cause of death of those who died was established centrally. Survival analyses were performed using the Cox Proportional Hazards Model. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, smoking and country, we observed an inverse trend (P-trend <0.05) of 20 y COPD mortality across tertiles of fruit and vitamin E intake. No trend was observed for vegetables, fish, vitamin C and beta-carotene. When modelled continuously, a 100 g increase in fruit intake was associated with a 24% lower COPD mortality risk (RR=0.76, 95% CI=0.60-0.92). For vitamin E intake (per 5 mg) the RR was 0.77 (95% CI=0.55-1.06), after adjustment for age, smoking and country. Additional adjustment for body mass index, total energy intake and alcohol consumption reduced the RR to 0.86 (95% CI=0.69-1.07, P=0.12) for fruit and 0.93 (95% CI=0.65-1.33) for vitamin E. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a protective effect of fruit and possibly vitamin E intake against COPD. No effect was observed for intake of vitamin C, beta-carotene, vegetables and fish.     

Fruit and vegetable intake and mortality from cardiovascular disease are inversely associated in Japanese women but not in men

Some epidemiological studies undertaken in Western countries have demonstrated that high intake of fruit and vegetables results in decreased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The objective of this study was to examine the hypothesis that high intake of fruit and vegetables lowers CVD mortality in a population-based cohort of Japanese subjects. In 1992, fruit and vegetable intake was assessed in 13,355 men and 15,724 women in Takayama, Gifu, Japan using a validated FFQ. During the follow-up (1992-99), 200 men and 184 women died from CVD. For women, the highest quartile of vegetable intake compared with the lowest was marginally significant and inversely associated with CVD mortality after adjusting for total energy, age, and nondietary and dietary covariates [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.62; 95% CI, 0.36-1.08; P-trend = 0.007]. An inverse trend with borderline significance was also observed in fruit intake, excluding CVD deaths in the first 2 y of this study, after adjusting for the above-mentioned covariates (HR = 0.83; 95% CI, 0.51-1.34; P-trend = 0.10). In men, CVD death was not associated with fruit (HR = 1.16; 95% Cl, 0.77-1.74; P-trend = 0.61) and vegetable (HR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.49-1.34; P-trend = 0.47) intake. These data suggest that higher intake of vegetables is associated with reduced risk of death from CVD for women.     

Fruit and vegetable intake and prevalence of colorectal adenoma in a cancer screening trial

BACKGROUND: Research on the association between fruit and vegetable intake and risk of colorectal adenoma is inconclusive. OBJECTIVE: We studied whether intake of fruit, vegetables, or their subgroups is associated with a lower risk of prevalent colorectal adenoma. DESIGN: In men and women (aged 55-74 y) who were screened for colorectal cancer in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO) (1993-2001), we compared 3,057 cases with at least one prevalent histologically verified adenoma of the distal large bowel with 29,413 control subjects. Using a food-frequency questionnaire, we quantified intake of fruit and vegetables in the 12 mo before screening as energy-adjusted pyramid servings/d (ps/d). Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were estimated by logistic regression. RESULTS: Risk of distal adenoma was significantly lower among subjects in high (approximately 5.7 ps/d) versus low (approximately 1.2 ps/d) quintiles of total fruit intake (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.66, 0.86, P for trend <0.001), which was not completely explained by dietary folate or fiber intake. Inverse associations between adenoma and total fruit intake were observed regardless of adenoma histopathology and multiplicity. However, the protective effect was seen only for colon and not rectal adenoma. Total vegetable intake was not significantly associated with reduced risk of adenoma. ORs for colorectal adenoma among persons with high versus low intakes of deep-yellow vegetables, dark-green vegetables, and onions and garlic were significantly related to lower risk of adenoma, although the P for trend for dark-green vegetables was not significant. CONCLUSION: Diets rich in fruit and deep-yellow vegetables, dark-green vegetables, and onions and garlic are modestly associated with reduced risk of colorectal adenoma, a precursor of colorectal cancer.     

Diet and prostatic cancer: a case-control study in northern Italy.

The relationship between intake of various indicator foods and beverages and risk of prostatic cancer was assessed in 271 cases of prostatic cancer and 685 hospital controls recruited in two areas of northern Italy, the province of Pordenone and the greater Milan area. Increased risks were found for more frequent intake of meat [odds ratio (OR) in the highest vs. lowest consumption tertile = 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-2.0], milk (OR = 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.4), fresh fruit (OR = 1.4, 95% CI 1.0-2.1), and vegetables (OR = 1.4, 95% CI 0.9-2.2). After allowance for the reciprocal confounding effect of various dietary habits, only frequent intake of milk seemed to be a significant independent indicator of prostatic cancer risk. There was also a clue that the unfavorable influence of frequent intake of a few food items (i.e. meat, fish, liver, ham and salami, milk and butter, and retinol) may be greater or restricted to older individuals (i.e., > or = 70 yrs of age). In conclusion, the present study confirms the presence of a moderate adverse effect of high intake of foods of animal origin, chiefly milk, while it suggests that a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables does not convey a protection.     

Impact of Consumption of Vegetable,Fruit, Grain,and High Glycemic Index Foods on Aggressive Prostate Cancer Risk

Prostate cancer is a common but complex disease, and distinguishing modifiable risk factors such as diet for more aggressive disease is extremely important. Previous work has detected intriguing associations between vegetable, fruit, and grains and more aggressive prostate cancer, although these remain somewhat unclear. Here we further investigate such potential relationships with a case-control study of 982 men (470 more aggressive prostate cancer cases and 512 control subjects). Comparing the highest to lowest quartiles of intake, we found that increasing intakes of leafy vegetables were inversely associated with risk of aggressive prostate cancer [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.46, 0.96; P trend = 0.02], as was higher consumption of high carotenoid vegetables (OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.48, 1.04; P trend = 0.04). Conversely, increased consumption of high glycemic index foods were positively associated with risk of aggressive disease (OR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.57; P trend = 0.02). These results were driven by a number of specific foods within the food groups. Our findings support the hypothesis that diets high in vegetables and low in high glycemic index foods decrease risk of aggressive prostate cancer.     

Quantity and variety of fruit and vegetable consumption and cancer risk

The recommendation for fruit and vegetable intake includes eating a certain quantity as well as a variety. The evidence for eating a variety is limited. We examined the association with cancer in a prospective cohort study among 730 Dutch men aged 65-84 yr followed for 10 years, resulting in 138 cancer cases. The quantity of fruits and vegetables was assessed using a dietary history and the variety in intake was based on a food frequency questionnaire. Adherence to the recommended amounts of fruit and vegetables was inversely associated with total cancer risk: The adjusted relative risk (RR) was 0.56 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.31-1.00]. Eating the recommended daily 200 g of vegetables was not related to cancer incidence, whereas eating the recommended 200 g of fruit was associated with a 38% lower risk. Variety in vegetable intake was inversely associated with total cancer and non-lung epithelial cancer: The RRs (95% CI) for the highest and lowest tertiles were 0.64 (0.43-0.95) and 0.51 (0.27-0.97), respectively. Only after excluding the first two years of follow-up, variety in fruit intake was associated with reduced cancer risk. In conclusion, adherence to the guidelines for fruit and vegetable intake was associated with lower cancer risk. Besides quantity, variety in intake is also of importance.     

Fruits, vegetables, soy foods and breast cancer in pre- and postmenopausal Korean women: a case-control study

We carried out a case-control study to examine the relationship between fruits, vegetables, and soy foods intake with breast cancer risk in Korean women. Incident cases (n = 359) were identified through cancer biopsies and hospital-based controls (n = 708) were selected in the same hospitals. Subjects were asked to indicate usual dietary habits, which were assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (98 items). Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated by unconditional logistic regression after adjustment for additional confounding factors according to the menopausal status. High grape intake showed an inverse association of breast cancer in postmenopausal women (OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.35-0.95; p for trend = 0.05). High tomato intake was associated with reduced breast cancer risk in premenopausal women (OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.38-0.89, p for trend = 0.04). In postmenopausal women, green pepper intake showed an inverse association of breast cancer risk (OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.43-0.96, p for trend = 0.03). High soybean intake showed an inverse association of breast cancer in postmenopausal women (OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.34-0.89, p for trend = 0.02). Our study suggests that high intake of some fruits, vegetables, and soybeans may be associated with a reduced breast cancer risk.