title: Legume consumption and colorectal adenoma risk: a meta-analysis of observational studies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The anticancer effects of legumes have been explored extensively, but evidence from epidemiologic studies on colorectal adenoma is controversial. We performed a meta-analysis to assess these issues.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systemic search of several databases was conducted for relevant studies evaluating the relationship between legume intake and adenoma risk, with no language restriction, from January 1, 1966, to April 1, 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three cohort and eleven case control studies with 8,380 cases and a total of 101,856 participants were included in the analysis; the pooled odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for the highest vs. lowest consumption categories was 0.83 (0.75-0.93), with moderate level of heterogeneity (I(2) = 25.9% and P = 0.146) based on a random effects model. A decreased risk of adenoma was also observed in most of our subgroup meta-analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher intake of legumes significantly reduced the risk of colorectal adenoma in our meta-analysis. Nevertheless, due to possible confounders and bias, further investigations are warranted to confirm this relationship.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yunqian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhenhua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Linna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Yingxuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jingyuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000473:pathology*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000378:metabolism*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006801:Humans; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic; D017594:Publication Bias; D012307:Risk Factors