Association of Dietary Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load with Endometrial Cancer Risk Among Chinese Women

Abstract

We evaluated the association of dietary glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) with the risk of endometrial cancer in a population-based, case-control study of 1199 endometrial cancer patients and 1212 age-frequency-matched controls in urban Shanghai, China, where diets are typically high in carbohydrates and have a high GL. Information on dietary habits, physical activity, and other relevant information was collected using a validated questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements were taken. Logistic regression was applied in the analysis. Dietary GI and GL were independently associated with risk for endometrial cancer but carbohydrate intake was unrelated to risk. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for increasing quartiles of intake were 1.0, 1.3, 1.4, and 2.2 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2–4.0] for dietary GL (P_trend = 0.02) and 1.0, 1.2, 1.4, and 1.4 (95% CI: 1.0–2.0) for dietary GI (P_trend = 0.02). High intake of staples, especially rice, was positively associated with endometrial cancer. The association with GI was more evident among lean and normal weight women, although the test for interaction was not significant. This study suggests that intake of high GL or GI foods, but not carbohydrates per se, may increase risk for endometrial cancer.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank Dr. Fan Jin for her contributions in implementing the study and Ms. Bethanie Rammer for her assistance in editing and preparing the manuscript. We also gratefully acknowledge the dedicated efforts of all study participants and research staff of the Shanghai Endometrial Cancer Study.

FUNDING

This work was supported by United States Public Health Service (USPHS) grant number R01CA092585 to X.O. Shu from the US National Cancer Institute.