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ABSTRACT
Objective: Many studies suggest that high-fat diets are linked to the etiology of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). However, the findings are inconsistent and therefore the association between fat and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma remains unclear. In this study, we aim to quantitatively assess the association between fat consumption and the risk for NHL. Methods: We reviewed 221 published cohort and case-control studies that reported relative risk (RRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of NHL and fat intake using PubMed, Cochrane, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases. A random-effects model computed summary risk estimates. Results: Based on our literature search, 10 of 221 studies (two cohort and eight case-control studies) were relevant to this meta-analysis. There was a significant association between total fat consumption and increased risk of NHL (RR = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.12–1.42); in addition, subgroup analysis showed a significant correlation with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (RR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.08–1.84) but not with follicular lymphoma (RR = 1.21; 95% CI: 0.97–1.52), small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia (RR = 0.91; 95% CI: 0.68–1.23), nor with T cell lymphoma (RR = 1.12; 95% CI: 0.60–2.09). The funnel plot revealed no evidence for publication bias. Conclusion: Total fat consumption, particularly animal fat, increases the risk for NHL.
Acknowledgments
This study was carried out with no dedicated source of funding. We thank Medjaden Bioscience Limited for assisting in the preparation of this manuscript.
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.