title: [Dietary habits and cancer: the experience of EPIC-Italy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to investigate hypothesised relationships between diet and cancer by assessing diet as a whole, in the Italian cohort EPIC.
  
  
  METHODS
  multicentric prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  47,749 volunteers were recruited between 1993 and 1998 in the centres of Varese and Turin (Northern Italy), Florence (Central Italy), Naples and Ragusa (Southern Italy). Information on diet and lifestyle were collected through validated questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were taken and biological samples collected using standardised protocols.
  
  
  METHODS
  follow-up was carried out by accessing regional cancer and mortality registries, hospital discharge records, and by telephone inquiries (only for Naples). After a median follow-up of 11 years, 879 incident cases of breast cancer, 421 cases of colorectal cancer, and 152 deaths were identified. Multivariate Cox regression models were used to estimate risks in relation to dietary characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the "Olive oil & Salad" dietary pattern, characterised by high consumption of raw vegetables and olive oil, was associated with a lower risk of overall mortality in the elderly. Adherence to a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables and fruit was associated with reduced risk of colon cancer. Consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates was associated with higher incidence of breast cancer and colorectal cancer. Reduced risk of colon cancer was also found in regular consumers of yoghurt.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the accuracy and comprehensiveness of EPIC-Italy data made it possible to investigate both individual dietary components and dietary habits as a whole, to thereby provide Italians with dietary and lifestyle advice that will help them to remain healthy.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di medicina preventiva e predittiva, Unità di epidemiologia e prevenzione, Fondazione IRCSS - Istituto nazionale dei tumori, Milano. sabina.sieri@istitutotumori.mi.it.
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sieri
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di medicina preventiva e predittiva, Unità di epidemiologia e prevenzione, Fondazione IRCSS - Istituto nazionale dei tumori, Milano.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Agnoli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di medicina preventiva e predittiva, Unità di epidemiologia e prevenzione, Fondazione IRCSS - Istituto nazionale dei tumori, Milano.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pala
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di medicina clinica e chirurgia, Università Federico II, Napoli.
authors.forename: Amalia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mattiello
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di medicina clinica e chirurgia, Università Federico II, Napoli.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panico
authors.affiliation: Struttura complessa di epidemiologia molecolare e nutrizionale, Istituto per lo studio e la prevenzione oncologica (ISPO), Firenze.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Masala
authors.affiliation: Struttura complessa di epidemiologia molecolare e nutrizionale, Istituto per lo studio e la prevenzione oncologica (ISPO), Firenze.
authors.forename: Melania
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Assedi
authors.affiliation: Registro dei tumori, Dipartimento di prevenzione medica, Azienda sanitaria provinciale (ASP) Ragusa.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tumino
authors.affiliation: Registro dei tumori, Dipartimento di prevenzione medica, Azienda sanitaria provinciale (ASP) Ragusa.
authors.forename: Graziella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frasca
authors.affiliation: Unità di epidemiologia oncologica, Ospedale "Città della salute e della scienza", Università di Torino.|Centro per la prevenzione oncologica (CPO), Torino.
authors.forename: Carlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sacerdote
authors.affiliation: Fondazione di genetica umana (HuGeF), Torino.|School of Public Health, Imperial College, Londra.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vineis
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di medicina preventiva e predittiva, Unità di epidemiologia e prevenzione, Fondazione IRCSS - Istituto nazionale dei tumori, Milano.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Krogh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D004034:Diet Surveys; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005062:European Union / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012955:Societies, Medical