Diet and uterine myomas.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the relation between selected dietary indicators and the risk of uterine myomas.


METHODS
We used data from a case-control study on risk factors for uterine myomas conducted in Italy between 1986 and 1997. Cases included 843 women with uterine myomas whose clinical diagnoses dated back no more than 2 years. Controls were 1557 women younger than age 55 who had not had hysterectomies and were admitted for acute nongynecologic, nonhormonal, nonneoplastic conditions.


RESULTS
Women with uterine myomas reported more frequent consumption of beef, other red meat, and ham and less frequent consumption of green vegetables, fruit, and fish. The multivariate odds ratios in the upper tertile were 1.7 for beef and other red meat (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4, 2.2), 1.3 for ham (95% CI 1.0, 1.6), 0.5 for green vegetables (95% CI 0.4, 0.6), and 0.8 for fruit consumption (95% CI 0.6, 1.0).


CONCLUSIONS
Myoma is associated with beef and ham consumption, whereas high intake of green vegetables seems to have a protective effect.
Chiaffarino
F
F
Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy.
Parazzini
F
F
La Vecchia
C
C
Chatenoud
L
L
Di Cintio
E
E
Marsico
S
S
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*