title: Diet and the risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas in a Syrian population: a case-control study.
abstract: Diet has not been investigated as a potential risk factor for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas in the Syrian Arab Republic. In a hospital-based, unmatched case-control study 108 people with cancer and 105 controls were interviewed about dietary intake using a validated food frequency questionnaire in Arabic. Sociodemographic and health risk behavioural information were collected by a self-completed questionnaire. Adjusting for age, sex, education level, working status and tobacco smoking, the multiple regression analysis showed that low intake of vegetables (OR 3.8; 95% CI: 1.57-9.10), cereal/cereal products (OR 2.6; 95% CI: 1.12-5.99) and high-caffeine beverages (OR 3.2; 95% CI: 1.34-7.43) increased the risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, whereas a low level of fats and oils intake decreased the risk (OR 0.6; 95% CI: 0.24-1.30). These findings should be considered in national health promotion programmes in the Syrian Arab Republic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Damascus, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nour
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Damascus, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic; Centre for Oral Growth and Development, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Joury
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Food Sciences Department, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Naja
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Country Office, Iraq.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hatahet
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Damascus, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Almanadili
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013593:Syria / Q000453:epidemiology