Prospective study of dietary patterns and colorectal cancer among Singapore Chinese
2008

Dietary Patterns and Colorectal Cancer in Singapore Chinese

Sample size: 61321 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Butler L M, Wang R, Koh W-P, Yu M C

Primary Institution: University of California-Davis

Hypothesis

Are dietary patterns associated with colorectal cancer among Singapore Chinese?

Conclusion

Neither individual nutrients or foods nor dietary patterns appear to explain the rise in colorectal cancer among the Singapore Chinese population.

Supporting Evidence

  • 961 cases of colorectal cancer were diagnosed among the cohort by the end of the study.
  • The study followed participants for an average of 9.8 years.
  • Two dietary patterns were identified: meat-dim sum and vegetable-fruit-soy.

Takeaway

The study looked at how what people eat affects their chances of getting colorectal cancer, but found that their diets didn't seem to be the reason for the increase in cancer cases.

Methodology

The study used a prospective cohort design with dietary data collected through a validated food frequency questionnaire and followed participants for nearly 10 years.

Potential Biases

Potential biases may arise from self-reported dietary data and the subjective nature of dietary pattern analysis.

Limitations

The study's reliance on dietary patterns may not capture complex interactions between individual nutrients and other lifestyle factors.

Participant Demographics

Participants were Singapore Chinese aged 45-74 years, primarily from the Hokkien and Cantonese dialect groups.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1038/sj.bjc.6604678

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