Diet and the risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas in a Syrian population: a case-control study

Diet has not been investigated as a potential risk factor for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas in the Syrian Arab Republic. In a hospital-based, unmatched case-control study 108 people with cancer and 105 controls were interviewed about dietary intake using a validated food frequency questionnaire in Arabic. Sociodemographic and health risk behavioural information were collected by a self-completed questionnaire. Adjusting for age, sex, education level, working status and tobacco smoking, the multiple regression analysis showed that low intake of vegetables (OR 3.8; 95% CI: 1.57-9.10), cereal/cereal products (OR 2.6; 95% CI: 1.12-5.99) and high-caffeine beverages (OR 3.2; 95% CI: 1.34-7.43) increased the risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, whereas a low level of fats and oils intake decreased the risk (OR 0.6; 95% CI: 0.24-1.30). These findings should be considered in national health promotion programmes in the Syrian Arab Republic.