Research technique for epidemiologic investigation of nutrition and cancer

Abstract

When investigating cancer etiology, epidemiologists often correlate estimates of current dietary practices to cancer incidence. There is evidence that diets may be basically stable over time due to deep‐rooted habits; however, changes in eating behavior are often associated with life‐style or health‐status changes. By using a diet‐related life‐event schedule, dietary changes resulting from life events may be more easily recalled and a more accurate characterization of diet patterns during neoplasm initiation may be made.