Childhood Dairy Consumption and Colorectal Cancer Risk
Author Information
Author(s): Jolieke C. van der Pols, Edward Giovannucci, Andrew Szilagyi
Primary Institution: University of Queensland
Hypothesis
Does consuming more dairy during childhood increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer in adulthood?
Conclusion
Adults who consumed more dairy during childhood may have a greater risk of developing colorectal cancer in adulthood.
Supporting Evidence
- Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of mortality, with about 630,000 deaths expected worldwide in 2007.
- Moderate changes in diet could prevent at least 70% of colorectal cancer cases.
- Those with the highest dairy consumption in childhood had nearly threefold increased risk of colorectal cancer.
Takeaway
Eating a lot of dairy when you are a kid might make you more likely to get colon cancer when you grow up.
Methodology
The study used historical cohort data from the Carnegie Survey, which recorded food consumption patterns in 1,343 families from 1937 to 1939, and followed up with 4,374 individuals over an average of 65 years.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to lack of data on adult dietary habits.
Limitations
The study lacks data on adult dietary intakes and does not confirm if the adults who developed colorectal cancer were the same children with higher dairy intakes.
Participant Demographics
Participants were from English and Scottish families recorded in the Carnegie Survey.
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