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Adherence to a Mediterranean-Style Dietary Pattern and Cancer Risk in a Prospective Cohort Study
Ioanna Yiannakou1,2, Martha R Singer1, Paul F Jacques3
1Department of Medicine, Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
Nutrients
|November 27, 2021
Summary
A Mediterranean-style diet pattern (MSDP) may lower cancer risk. Higher MSDP adherence was linked to reduced cancer incidence, particularly in women and non-smoking men, suggesting a protective dietary effect.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Epidemiology
- Oncology
Background:
- The Mediterranean-style diet is recognized for potential health benefits, including cancer risk reduction.
- Limited evidence exists on the association between this dietary pattern and cancer risk specifically within American populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively investigate the relationship between adherence to a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern and overall cancer risk.
- To explore potential modifications of this association by lifestyle and anthropometric factors.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 2966 participants in the Framingham Offspring Study, free of prevalent cancer at baseline.
- Calculated a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern (MSDP) score using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire.
- Employed Cox proportional hazards regression models to analyze cancer risk over a median follow-up of 18 years, adjusting for covariates.
Main Results:
- Higher adherence to the MSDP was associated with a significantly lower risk of cancer in women (HRs ranging from 0.71 to 0.74).
- The association was less pronounced in men, though beneficial effects were observed in non-smokers.
- The protective effect of the MSDP in women was more pronounced among those who were not overweight.
Conclusions:
- Higher adherence to a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern is associated with a reduced risk of developing cancer.
- This association appears particularly strong in women and may be influenced by smoking status and body weight.
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