Diet and Cancer Risk in the Elderly
Author Information
Author(s): A. Shibata, A. Paganini-Hill, R.K. Ross, B.E. Henderson
Primary Institution: University of Southern California, School of Medicine
Hypothesis
Does dietary intake of vegetables, fruits, beta-carotene, and vitamin C affect cancer incidence among the elderly?
Conclusion
The study found that while dietary factors did not show a protective effect against cancer in men, certain dietary intakes were associated with reduced cancer risks in women.
Supporting Evidence
- 1,335 cancer cases were diagnosed during the study period.
- Vitamin C supplement use was inversely associated with bladder cancer risk in men.
- Women showed reduced cancer risks for all sites combined with higher intake of fruits and vegetables.
Takeaway
Eating more fruits and vegetables might help women lower their chances of getting cancer, but it didn't seem to help men in the same way.
Methodology
A cohort study followed 11,580 elderly residents from a retirement community over eight years, assessing their dietary intake and cancer incidence.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reported dietary habits and the possibility of differential recall between genders.
Limitations
The study may have missed some cancer cases and relied on self-reported dietary information, which can be inaccurate.
Participant Demographics
The cohort was primarily Caucasian, upper-middle socioeconomic class, with about two-thirds being women.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.55 for bladder cancer in men; 0.57 for colon cancer in women
Confidence Interval
95% C.I. 0.31-0.98 for bladder cancer; 95% C.I. 0.35-0.92 for colon cancer
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
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