Relations between vegetable, fruit and micronutrient intake. Implications for odds ratios in a case-control study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether the protection observed for some micronutrients, such as beta-carotene, in several observational studies may simply reflect vegetable and fruit intake.


METHODS
A case-control study conducted in Italy.


METHODS
The subjects were 1225 colon cancer patients, 728 rectal cancer patients and 4154 hospital controls.


RESULTS
For the 16 micronutrients considered, the more closely a micronutrient was correlated with total vegetable and fruit intake, the more it appeared protective against colorectal cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
When studying the effect of a nutrient on disease risk in an observational setting, its relation to other nutrients and foods must be taken into account.
Negri
E
E
Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milano, Italy. evanegri@marionegri.it
La Vecchia
C
C
Franceschi
S
S
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables
D018977:Micronutrients