Dietary factors and colorectal polyps: a case-control study
Almendingen, K.; Trygg, K.; Larsen, S.; Hofstad, B.; Vatn, M.H.
European Journal of Cancer Prevention the Official Journal of the European Cancer Prevention Organisation 4(3): 239-246
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0959-8278 PMID: 7647692 Document Number: 443115
The dietary habits among patients (50 to 70 years old) with small (<=5 mm, n=26), medium (5 to 9 mm, n=48) or large (>=10 mm, n=34) colorectal polyps were compared with 35 healthy age- and gender-matched controls. A food record by weighing during 5 consecutive days was performed. The intake of fat was significantly higher among the patients, in contrast to a significantly lower intake of carbohydrate, dietary fibre and iron, compared with controls. The intake of vitamin C and calcium was shown to be lower among the patients, but this was significant only for women. There was a tendency among patients to consume a lower antioxidant, fibre and cereal fibre diet, and a Ca-rich and more cholesterol-rich diet with increasing size of polyps. The patients with the smallest polyps tended to consume less starch. These results are too preliminary to draw conclusions with regard to the influence of nutritional factors on the size and growth of polyps.