Whole Grain, Dietary Fiber, and Incidence of Endometrial Cancer in a Danish Cohort Study

Abstract

Whole grains and dietary fiber might be inversely associated with endometrial cancer risk through their effects on sex hormone metabolism and body fat. We investigated whether a higher intake of whole grains and dietary fiber was associated with a lower incidence of endometrial cancer in the Diet, Cancer and Health cohort of 29,875 women aged 50–64 years at enrollment in 1993–1997. Information on diet and lifestyle was derived from self-administered questionnaires. The incidence rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated based on a Cox proportional hazards model. Of the 24,418 women included as cohort members, 217 had a diagnosis of endometrial cancer. No clear associations were found between intake of whole grains or dietary fiber and the incidence of endometrial cancer.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of Katja Boll and Jytte Fogh Larsen in collecting data. This work was supported by the Danish Cancer Society (DP06012) and NordForsk (the Nordic Center of Excellence HELGA (070015)). Neither of the funding agencies had any influence on the design or conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, or interpretation of the data; or the preparation, review or approval of the manuscript.