Association between Dietary and Lifestyle Indices and Colorectal Cancer in Oman: A Case-Control Study

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by uncontrolledgrowth and spread of abnormal cells in the body. CRC vary on the basis of both the biologic features of the disease and itsassociated lifestyle characteristics. The risk of CRC increases with several modifiable factors including obesity, physicalinactivity, a diet high in red or processed meat, heavy alcohol consumption, and possibly inadequate intake of fruits andvegetables. We aimed to establish a baseline data for dietary and lifestyle characteristics of Omani adults diagnosedwith CRC. Methods: A Case control study conducted at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, a referral hospital for CRCpatients in Oman, and included 279 subjects (109 diagnosed CRC cases and 170 matched controls). All study subjectswere recruited on volunteer basis and personally interviewed for preset questions related to sociodemographic data,anthropometric assessment, dietary intake and physical activity. Results: There was no significant difference betweencases and controls regarding smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity and dietary fiber intake. However the enrolledcases were more overweight (OR =3.27. 95% CI: 1.91, 7.27), and, had a higher caloric (p =0.001) and macronutrientintake (carbohydrate: p = 0.001; protein: p = 0.017; saturated fat: P = 0.034) than the controls. In addition, the dietarypattern of the cases was characterized by a trend towards low vegetables and fruits intake. Conclusion: CRC maybeprevented through dietary management of high risk groups. This primary prevention approach will ultimately reducethe burden of CRC in Oman.