Cured meat, vegetables, and bean-curd foods in relation to childhood acute leukemia risk: a population based case-control study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Consumption of cured/smoked meat and fish leads to the formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds in the acidic stomach. This study investigated whether consumed cured/smoked meat and fish, the major dietary resource for exposure to nitrites and nitrosamines, is associated with childhood acute leukemia.

METHODS:

A population-based case-control study of Han Chinese between 2 and 20 years old was conducted in southern Taiwan. 145 acute leukemia cases and 370 age- and sex-matched controls were recruited between 1997 and 2005. Dietary data were obtained from a questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression models were used in data analyses.

RESULTS:

Consumption of cured/smoked meat and fish more than once a week was associated with an increased risk of acute leukemia (OR = 1.74; 95% CI: 1.15-2.64). Conversely, higher intake of vegetables (OR = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.37-0.83) and bean-curd (OR = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.34-0.89) was associated with a reduced risk. No statistically significant association was observed between leukemia risk and the consumption of pickled vegetables, fruits, and tea.

CONCLUSION:

Dietary exposure to cured/smoked meat and fish may be associated with leukemia risk through their contents of nitrites and nitrosamines among children and adolescents, and intake of vegetables and soy-bean curd may be protective.

• Authors: Chen-Yu Liu, Yi-Hsiang Hsu, Ming-Tsang Wu, Pi-Chen Pan, Chi-Kung Ho, Li Su, Xin Xu, Yi Li, David C Christiani, Kaohsiung Leukemia Research Group
• Journal: BMC cancer (BMC Cancer) Vol. 9 Pg. 15 (Jan 13 2009) ISSN: 1471-2407 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19144145 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Case-Control Studies
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• China (epidemiology)
• Diet
• Humans
• Meat
• Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma (epidemiology, etiology)
• Risk Factors
• Soy Foods
• Vegetables
• Young Adult