Associations of Nut Intakes with Incident Sporadic Colorectal Adenoma: A Pooled Case-Control Study

Abstract

Introduction: Consumption of nuts, which contain multiple anti-carcinogenic components, has been inversely associated with colorectal cancer (CRC), particularly among women, but has not been investigated in relation to colorectal adenoma, the immediate precursor to most CRCs.

Methods: We pooled data from three case-control studies of incident, sporadic colorectal adenoma (n = 785 cases, 2107 controls) in which dietary intakes were assessed using food frequency questionnaires, and analyzed the data using multivariable unconditional logistic regression.

Results: Among men and women combined, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of total nut product (all nuts and peanut butter combined) intakes, for those who consumed 0.5–1.5, 2.0–5.5, and ≥6 servings/week relative to no nut consumption were 0.81 (0.58, 1.12), 0.86 (0.61, 1.23), and 0.93 (0.65, 1.31), respectively. However, among women, the corresponding ORs and 95% CIs were 0.62 (0.40, 0.97), 0.57 (0.35, 0.94), and 0.78 (0.48, 1.25), respectively.

Conclusions: These results suggest that moderate nut consumption may be associated with lower risk for colorectal adenoma, primarily among women.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under grants P01 CA50305 and R01 CA66539; the Fullerton Foundation; and the Franklin Foundation.