Dietary patterns and breast cancer risk among women in northern Tanzania: a case–control study

• Published in: European journal of nutrition Vol. 52; no. 3; pp. 905 - 915
• Main Authors: Jordan, Irmgard, Hebestreit, Antje, Swai, Britta, Krawinkel, Michael B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01-04-2013; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Algorithms; Breast Neoplasms - epidemiology; Breast Neoplasms - ethnology; Breast Neoplasms - etiology; Breast Neoplasms - prevention & control; Case-Control Studies; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Diet - adverse effects; Diet - ethnology; Diet, High-Fat - adverse effects; Diet, High-Fat - ethnology; Dietary Fats - adverse effects; Dietary Fats - metabolism; Fatty Acids - adverse effects; Fatty Acids - metabolism; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - metabolism; Female; Humans; Logistic Models; Middle Aged; Nutrition; Original Contribution; Principal Component Analysis; Risk; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tanzania - epidemiology; Tanzania; Breast cancer; PUFA; Dietary pattern; Tanzania
• ISSN: 1436-6207; 1436-6215
• DOI: 10.1007/s00394-012-0398-1

Background
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania. It was tested within a case–control study in this region whether a specific dietary pattern impacts on the breast cancer risk.
Methods
A validated semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire was used to assess the dietary intake of 115 female breast cancer patients and 230 healthy age-matched women living in the same districts. A logistic regression was performed to estimate breast cancer risk. Dietary patterns were obtained using principal component analysis with Varimax rotation.
Results
The adjusted logistic regression estimated an increased risk for a “Fatty Diet”, characterized by a higher consumption of milk, vegetable oils and fats, butter, lard and red meat (OR = 1.42, 95 % CI 1.08–1.87;
P
 = 0.01), and for a “Fruity Diet”, characterized by a higher consumption of fish, mango, papaya, avocado and watery fruits (OR = 1.61, 95 % CI 1.14–2.28;
P
 = 0.01). Both diets showed an inverse association with the ratio between polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids (P/S ratio).
Conclusion
A diet characterized by a low P/S ratio seems to be more important for the development of breast cancer than total fat intake.