Fish consumption is inversely associated with male lung cancer mortality in countries with high levels of cigarette smoking or animal fat consumption.
BACKGROUND
A striking difference in fish consumption and lung cancer mortality (LCM) exists among populations worldwide. This study investigated the relation between fish consumption and LCM at the population level.


METHODS
Sex-specific LCM data, mostly around 1993 and fish consumption data for 10 periods 1961-1994 in 36 countries were obtained from WHO and FAO, respectively.


RESULTS
A significant inverse correlation exists between log fish consumption and LCM rate in 9 out of the 10 time periods (r = -0.34 to r = -0.46, P = 0.044 to P = 0.005). After adjusting for smoking and other confounders, log fish consumption (% of total energy [% E]) was inversely and significantly associated with LCM rate (per 100 000 per year) in all 10 time periods (beta = -26.3 to beta = -36.7; P = 0.0039 to P < 0.0001). The stratified analysis showed that this inverse relation was significant only in countries with above median level of smoking (>2437 cigarettes/adult/year) or animal fat minus fish fat consumption (22.4% E). An increase in fish consumption by 1% E was calculated to reduce mean male LCM rate of the populations examined in the age class of 45-74 years by 8.4%. In women, no significant relation between fish consumption and LCM could be established.


CONCLUSIONS
Fish consumption is associated with a reduced risk from LCM, but this possible protective effect is clear-cut only in men and in countries with high levels of cigarette smoking or animal fat consumption.
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
J
J
Zhang
E H
EH
Temme
H
H
Kesteloot
D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D004041:Dietary Fats; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012306:Risk; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*
D004041:Dietary Fats