title: Dietary fat and fatty acids and risk of colorectal cancer in women.
abstract: The authors examined the association of intakes of different types of fat and fatty acids with risk of colorectal cancer using data from the Women's Health Study, a randomized trial of low-dose aspirin and vitamin E carried out among 39,876 healthy US women aged >/=45 years. Among the 37,547 women eligible for the present study, 202 developed colorectal cancer during an average follow-up period of 8.7 years (1993-2003). Intakes of dietary fat and its food sources were assessed at baseline by food frequency questionnaire. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate relative risks and 95% confidence intervals. Total fat intake was not related to colorectal cancer risk, nor were intakes of the different types of fat and major fatty acids. However, the authors observed a positive association between intake of fried foods away from home and colorectal cancer risk (highest quintile vs. lowest: relative risk = 1.86, 95% confidence interval: 1.09, 3.16; p for trend = 0.01). These prospective cohort data provide little support for an association between dietary fat and colorectal cancer risk. However, intake of fried foods and/or other factors related to their intake may be associated with colorectal cancer development. This finding warrants further examination.
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA. jhlin@rics.bwh.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shumin M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Nancy R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: I-Min
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Julie E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Buring
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids