RELATIONSHIP OF FOOD GROUPS AND WATER-INTAKE TO COLON-CANCER RISK

The association between food groupings and adenocarcinoma of the colon was investigated in a population-based case-control study of men and women ages 30-62 years. Colon cancer cases (238 men and 186 women) dia gnosed from 1985 to 1989 were identified from the Seattle-Puget Sound Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Registry. Controls (224 me n and 190 women) were selected using a random digit telephone dialing method. Dietary information was gathered using an 80-item food frequen cy questionnaire. Foods were grouped and analyzed by quartile of intak e, with adjustment for age and total energy intake. Among women, a red uced risk of colon cancer was associated with a high intake of fruits and vegetables [adjusted odds ratio (OR) for highest versus lowest qua rtile, 0.48; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.26-0.86; P for trend, P = 0.02]. Inverse associations were also observed for the consumption of total (hot and cold) cereals (OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.25-0.91; P = 0.05), dairy products (OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.21-0.79; P = 0.05), and water (OR for >5 glasses/day versus less than or equal to 2 glass/day, 0.55; 95 % CI, 0.31-0.99; P = 0.004). Among men, colon cancer risk was inversel y associated with the intake of breads and cereals (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.22-0.82; P = 0.02) and hot cereal (OR for weekly versus never eating , 0.53; 95% CI, 0.32-0.87; P = 0.01). Water consumption was marginally associated with a decreased colon cancer risk among men as well (OR f or >4 glasses/day versus less than or equal to 1 glass/day, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.38-1.22; P = 0.16). Total meat consumption was associated with a n increased risk of distal colon cancer among men (OR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1 .08-4.48; P = 0.01). These results were not confounded by body mass in dex or other measured health behaviors. Results of this research suppo rt previous findings which associate intake of fruits, vegetables, gra ins, and dairy products with reduced colon cancer risk, and meat intak e with an increased colon cancer risk. This study also reports a new f inding of a possible inverse association of water consumption (glasses of plain water per day) with colon cancer risk.