Epidemiology
British Journal of Cancer (2009) 101, 192–197. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6605098 www.bjcancer.com
Published online 16 June 2009
Cancer incidence in British vegetarians
T J Key1, P N Appleby1, E A Spencer1, R C Travis1, N E Allen1, M Thorogood2 and J I Mann3
- 1Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK
- 2Health Sciences Research Institute, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- 3The Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research and the Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand
Correspondence: Professor TJ Key, Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Richard Doll Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK. E-mail: tim.key@ceu.ox.ac.uk
Received 2 April 2009; Revised 24 April 2009; Accepted 24 April 2009; Published online 16 June 2009.
Abstract
Background:
Few prospective studies have examined cancer incidence among vegetarians.
Methods:
We studied 61 566 British men and women, comprising 32 403 meat eaters, 8562 non-meat eaters who did eat fish ('fish eaters') and 20 601 vegetarians. After an average follow-up of 12.2 years, there were 3350 incident cancers of which 2204 were among meat eaters, 317 among fish eaters and 829 among vegetarians. Relative risks (RRs) were estimated by Cox regression, stratified by sex and recruitment protocol and adjusted for age, smoking, alcohol, body mass index, physical activity level and, for women only, parity and oral contraceptive use.
Results:
There was significant heterogeneity in cancer risk between groups for the following four cancer sites: stomach cancer, RRs (compared with meat eaters) of 0.29 (95% CI: 0.07–1.20) in fish eaters and 0.36 (0.16–0.78) in vegetarians, P for heterogeneity=0.007; ovarian cancer, RRs of 0.37 (0.18–0.77) in fish eaters and 0.69 (0.45–1.07) in vegetarians, P for heterogeneity=0.007; bladder cancer, RRs of 0.81 (0.36–1.81) in fish eaters and 0.47 (0.25–0.89) in vegetarians, P for heterogeneity=0.05; and cancers of the lymphatic and haematopoietic tissues, RRs of 0.85 (0.56–1.29) in fish eaters and 0.55 (0.39–0.78) in vegetarians, P for heterogeneity=0.002. The RRs for all malignant neoplasms were 0.82 (0.73–0.93) in fish eaters and 0.88 (0.81–0.96) in vegetarians (P for heterogeneity=0.001).
Conclusion:
The incidence of some cancers may be lower in fish eaters and vegetarians than in meat eaters.
Keywords:
vegetarians diet
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated
REVIEWS
Pathogenesis of parkinson's disease: dopamine, vesicles and α-synuclein
Nature Reviews Neuroscience Review (01 Dec 2002)
NEWS AND VIEWS
Nature News and Views (02 Dec 1967)
Amazonian fishes and the forest
Nature News and Views (22 Oct 1981)
