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Diet is a modifiable risk factor for pancreatic cancer. We hypothesized that specific dietary patterns would increase/decrease pancreatic cancer risk. We evaluated the association of dietary patterns with pancreatic cancer risk in the UK Women's Cohort Study. Dietary patterns were assessed at enrollment using: (1) self-reported practice of vegan/vegetarian dietary habits, (2) diet quality indices (World Health Organization Healthy Diet Indicator and Mediterranean Diet Score), and (3) principal component analysis-derived dietary patterns. The association of dietary patterns with pancreatic cancer incidence was quantified using Cox regression survival analysis. Over a median follow-up of 19 years of 35,365 respondents, there were 136 incident cases of pancreatic cancer. No association between dietary habits/quality and pancreatic cancer incidence was evident after adjustments (hazard ratio (95% confidence interval): self-reported omnivores vs vegan/vegetarian dietary habit: 1.13 (0.73-1.76); per-unit increase in World Health Organization Healthy Diet Indicator scores: 0.99 (0.91-1.09); per-unit increase in Mediterranean Diet Score: 0.92 (0.83-1.02). Similarly, no association of principal component analysis-derived dietary patterns with pancreatic cancer risk was evident ("prudent:" 1.02 [0.94-1.10]; ''meat-based:'' 1.00 [0.92-1.09]; ''fast-food, sugar-sweetened beverages, and carbohydrate-rich snacks:'' 0.96 [0.86-1.07]; ''cereal and dairy-rich:'' 1.04 [0.94-1.16], and ''low-diversity and lowfat:'' 1.00 [0.89-1.13]). In this prospective cohort of women, several major dietary patterns were of poor quality. There was no evidence of a prospective association between any of the dietary patterns explored and pancreatic cancer incidence. Dietary patterns in the United Kingdom (UK) Women's Cohort Study were assessed in 3 ways: (1) self-reported vegan/vegetarian practice, (2) World Health Organization and Mediterranean Diet Scores, and (3) data-driven approach. Major dietary patterns in the UK Women's Cohort Study described using these 3 methods showed no association with pancreatic cancer risk. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Meat-free diets may be associated with a higher risk of hip fracture, but prospective evidence is limited. We aimed to investigate the risk of hip fracture in occasional meat-eaters, pescatarians, and vegetarians compared to regular meat-eaters in the UK Biobank, and to explore the role of potential mediators of any observed risk differences. Methods: Middle-aged UK adults were classified as regular meat-eaters (n = 258,765), occasional meat-eaters (n = 137,954), pescatarians (n = 9557), or vegetarians (n = 7638) based on dietary and lifestyle information at recruitment (2006–2010). Incident hip fractures were identified by record linkage to Hospital Episode Statistics up to September 2021. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to estimate associations between each diet group and hip fracture risk, with regular meat-eaters as the reference group, over a median follow-up time of 12.5 years. Results: Among 413,914 women, 3503 hip fractures were observed. After adjustment for confounders, vegetarians (HR (95% CI): 1.50 (1.18, 1.91)) but not occasional meat-eaters (0.99 (0.93, 1.07)) or pescatarians (1.08 (0.86, 1.35)) had a greater risk of hip fracture than regular meat-eaters. This is equivalent to an adjusted absolute risk difference of 3.2 (1.2, 5.8) more hip fractures per 1000 people over 10 years in vegetarians. There was limited evidence of effect modification by BMI on hip fracture risk across diet groups (pinteraction = 0.08), and no clear evidence of effect modification by age or sex (pinteraction = 0.9 and 0.3, respectively). Mediation analyses suggest that BMI explained 28% of the observed risk difference between vegetarians and regular meat-eaters (95% CI: 1.1%, 69.8%). Discussion: Vegetarian men and women had a higher risk of hip fracture than regular meat-eaters, and this was partly explained by their lower BMI. Ensuring adequate nutrient intake and weight management are therefore particularly important in vegetarians in the context of hip fracture prevention. Trial registration: NCT05554549, registered retrospectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To summarise the totality of evidence regarding dietary risk factors for hip fracture in adults, evaluating the quality of evidence, to provide recommendations for practice and further research. Design: Systematic review of meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies. Eligibility criteria: Systematic reviews with meta-analyses reporting summary risk estimates for associations between hip fracture incidence and dietary exposures including oral intake of a food, food group, beverage, or nutrient, or adherence to dietary patterns. Information sources: Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library from inception until November 2020. Data synthesis: The methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses was assessed using AMSTAR-2, and the quality of evidence for each association was assessed using GRADE. Results were synthesised descriptively. Results: Sixteen systematic reviews were identified, covering thirty-four exposures, including dietary patterns (n = 2 meta-analyses), foods, food groups, or beverages (n = 16), macronutrients (n = 3), and micronutrients (n = 13). Identified meta-analyses included 6,282 to 3,730,424 participants with between 322 and 26,168 hip fractures. The methodological quality (AMSTAR-2) of all systematic reviews was low or critically low. The quality of evidence (GRADE) was low for an inverse association between hip fracture incidence and intake of fruits and vegetables combined (adjusted summary relative risk for higher vs lower intakes: 0.92 [95% confidence interval: 0.87 to 0.98]), and very low for the remaining thirty-three exposures. Conclusion: Dietary factors may play a role in the primary prevention of hip fracture, but the methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses was below international standards, and there was a lack of high-quality evidence. More long-term cohort studies reporting absolute risks and robust, well-conducted meta-analyses with dose-response information are needed before policy guidelines can be formed. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42020226190. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate prospective associations between dietary patterns and age of natural menopause.Study Design and Main Outcome Measures: Menopausal status was reported at two time points 4  years apart in the UK Women's Cohort Study (UKWCS). Diet of participants was measured using a 217-item food frequency questionnaire at baseline. Principal component analysis (PCA) and reduced rank regression (RRR) were used to derive dietary patterns for 13,916 women. Cox proportional hazards regressions were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for each pattern in relation to age at natural menopause, adjusting for potential confounders.Results: Five patterns were identified from the PCA, labelled as: 'vegetables and legumes', 'animal proteins', 'fruits', 'fats and sweets' and 'low-fat products'. Three patterns were derived from RRR: 'sweets, pastries and puddings', 'low-fat dairy and meat', and 'red meat and processed meat'. Women who scored 1 standard deviation higher on the 'animal proteins' pattern were 6% more likely to experience a later natural menopause over the study (HR = 0.94, 95 % CI: 0.90-0.97) compared with those who scored lower. The 'red meat and processed meat' pattern similary predicted a 7% higher risk for a later menopause during the study (HR = 0.93, 95 % CI: 0.87-1.00) per 1 standard deviation.Conclusions: Women whose diets are highly loaded with animal proteins, as well as red and processed meats, are more likely to have a later natural menopause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to systematically review the complex associations between energy balance-related factors and breast cancer risk, for which previous evidence has suggested different associations in the life course of women and by hormone receptor (HR) status of the tumor.Methods: Relevant publications on adulthood physical activity, sedentary behavior, body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumferences, waist-to-hip ratio, and weight change and pre- and postmenopausal breast cancer risk were identified in PubMed up to 30 April 2017. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to summarize the relative risks across studies.Results: One hundred and twenty-six observational cohort studies comprising over 22,900 premenopausal and 103,000 postmenopausal breast cancer cases were meta-analyzed. Higher physical activity was inversely associated with both pre- and postmenopausal breast cancers, whereas increased sitting time was positively associated with postmenopausal breast cancer. Although higher early adult BMI (ages 18-30 years) was inversely associated with pre- and postmenopausal breast cancers, adult weight gain and greater body adiposity increased breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women, and the increased risk was evident for HR+ but not HR- breast cancers, and among never but not current users of postmenopausal hormones. The evidence was less consistent in premenopausal women. There were no associations with adult weight gain, inverse associations with adult BMI (study baseline) and hip circumference, and non-significant associations with waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio that were reverted to positive associations on average in studies accounting for BMI. No significant associations were observed for HR-defined premenopausal breast cancers.Conclusion: Better understanding on the impact of these factors on pre- and postmenopausal breast cancers and their subtypes along the life course is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the association between diet and the risk of breast, endometrial and ovarian cancer in the UK Women's Cohort Study. A total of 35 372 women aged 35–69 years were enrolled between 1995 and 1998 and completed a validated 217-item FFQ. The individual foods were collapsed into sixty-four main food groups and compared using Cox proportional models, adjusting for potential confounders. Hazard ratio (HR) estimates are presented per portion increase in food items. After approximately 18 years of follow-up, there were 1822, 294 and 285 cases of breast, endometrial and ovarian cancer, respectively. A high consumption of processed meat and total meat was associated with an increased risk of breast and endometrial cancer. High intake of tomatoes (HR 0·87, 99 % CI 0·75, 1·00) and dried fruits (HR 0·60, 99 % CI 0·37, 0·97) was associated with a reduced risk of breast and endometrial cancer, respectively. Mushroom intake was associated with a higher risk of ovarian cancer (HR 1·57, 99 % CI 1·09, 2·26). Subgroup analysis by pre- or postmenopausal cancer further demonstrated an association between processed meat intake and both postmenopausal breast cancer and endometrial cancer. Intake of dried fruits was associated with a reduced risk of postmenopausal endometrial cancer (HR 0·55, 99 % CI 0·31, 0·98). Our findings suggest that while some foods may trigger the risk of these cancers, some foods may also be protective; supporting the call for further randomised controlled trials of dietary interventions to reduce the risk of cancer among pre- and postmenopausal women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is variability in sensitivity to bitter tastes. Taste 2 Receptor (TAS2R)38 binds to bitter tastants including phenylthiocarbamide (PTC). Many foods with putative cancer preventive activity have bitter tastes. We examined the relationship between PTC sensitivity or TAS2R38 diplotype, food intake, and cancer risk in the UK Women's Cohort Study. Methods: PTC taste phenotype (n = 5500) and TAS238 diplotype (n = 750) were determined in a subset of the cohort. Food intake was determined using a 217-item food-frequency questionnaire. Cancer incidence was obtained from the National Health Service Central Register. Hazard ratios (HR) were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazard models. Results: PTC tasters [HR 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04, 1.62], but not supertasters (HR 0.98, CI 0.76, 1.44), had increased cancer risk compared to nontasters. An interaction was found between phenotype and age for supertasters (p = 0.019) but not tasters (p = 0.54). Among women > 60 years, tasters (HR 1.40, CI 1.03, 1.90) and supertasters (HR 1.58, CI 1.06, 2.36) had increased cancer risk compared to nontasters, but no such association was observed among women ≤ 60 years (tasters HR 1.16, CI 0.84, 1.62; supertasters HR 0.54, CI 0.31, 0.94). We found no association between TAS2R38 diplotype and cancer risk. We observed no major differences in bitter fruit and vegetable intake. Conclusion: These results suggest that the relationship between PTC taster phenotype and cancer risk may be mediated by factors other than fruit and vegetable intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High dietary intake or blood concentrations (as biomarkers of dietary intake) of vitamin C, carotenoids, and vitamin E have been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality, but these associations have not been systematically assessed. Objective: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies of dietary intake and blood concentrations of vitamin C, carotenoids, and vitamin E in relation to these outcomes. Design: We searched PubMed and Embase up to 14 February 2018. Summary RRs and 95% CIs were calculated with the use of randomeffects models. Results: Sixty-nine prospective studies (99 publications) were included. The summary RR per 100-mg/d increment of dietary vitamin C intake was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.79, 0.98, I2 = 65%, n = 11) for coronary heart disease, 0.92 (95% CI: 0.87, 0.98, I2 = 68%, n = 12) for stroke, 0.89 (95% CI: 0.85, 0.94, I2 = 27%, n = 10) for cardiovascular disease, 0.93 (95% CI: 0.87, 0.99, I2 = 46%, n = 8) for total cancer, and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.85, 0.94, I2 = 80%, n = 14) for all-cause mortality. Corresponding RRs per 50-µmol/L increase in blood concentrations of vitamin C were 0.74 (95% CI: 0.65, 0.83, I2 = 0%, n = 4), 0.70 (95% CI: 0.61, 0.81, I2 = 0%, n = 4), 0.76 (95% CI: 0.65, 0.87, I2 = 56%, n = 6), 0.74 (95% CI: 0.66, 0.82, I2 = 0%, n = 5), and 0.72 (95% CI: 0.66, 0.79, I2 = 0%, n = 8). Dietary intake and/or blood concentrations of carotenoids (total, β-carotene, α-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene) and α-tocopherol, but not dietary vitamin E, were similarly inversely associated with coronary heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and/or all-cause mortality. Conclusions: Higher dietary intake and/or blood concentrations of vitamin C, carotenoids, and α-tocopherol (as markers of fruit and vegetable intake) were associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer, and all-cause mortality. These results support recommendations to increase fruit and vegetable intake, but not antioxidant supplement use, for chronic disease prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence on adherence to diet-related cancer prevention guidelines and associations with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk is limited and conflicting. The aim of this cohort analysis is to evaluate associations between adherence to the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute of Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) 2007 recommendations and incident CRC. The UK Women's Cohort Study comprises over 35 372 women who filled in a FFQ at baseline in 1995. They were followed up for CRC incidence for a median of 17·4 years, an individual score linking adherence to eight of the WCRF/AICR recommendations was constructed. Cox proportional hazards regression provided hazard ratios (HR) and 95% CI for the estimation of CRC risk, adjusting for confounders. Following exclusions, 444 CRC cases were identified. In the multivariate-adjusted model, women within the second and third (highest) categories of the WRCF/AICR score had HR of 0·79 (95% CI 0·62, 1·00) and 0·73 (95% CI 0·48, 1·10), respectively, for CRC compared with those in the lowest, reference category. The overall linear trend across the categories was not significant (P =0·17). No significant associations were observed between the WCRF/AICR score and proximal colon, distal colon and rectal cancers separately. Of the individual score components, a BMI within the normal weight range was borderline significantly protective only for rectal cancer in the fully adjusted model. In view of the likely different causes of CRC subtypes, further research is needed to identify the optimal dietary patterns associated with reducing colon and rectal cancer risk, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence from epidemiological studies investigating associations between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and colorectal cancer is inconsistent. The aim of this study is to assess in the UK Women's Cohort Study whether adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with reduced incidence of cancers of the colon and rectum.Method: A total of 35 372 women were followed for a median of 17.4 years. A 10-component score indicating adherence to the Mediterranean diet was generated for each cohort participant, using a 217-item food frequency questionnaire. The Mediterranean diet score ranged from 0 for minimal adherence to 10 for maximal adherence. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to provide adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for colon and rectal cancer risk.Results: A total of 465 incident colorectal cancer cases were documented. In the multivariable adjusted model, the test for trend was positive (HR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.78 to 0.99; Ptrend = 0.03) for a 2-point increment in the Mediterranean diet score. For rectal cancer, a 2-point increment in the Mediterranean diet score resulted in an HR (95% CI) of 0.69 (0.56 to 0.86), whereas a 62% linear reduced risk (HR 0.38; 95% CI: 0.20 to 0.74; Ptrend < 0.001) was observed for women within the highest vs the lowest category of the MD score. Estimates for an association with colon cancer were weak (Ptrend = 0.41).Conclusions: Findings suggest that women adhering to a Mediterranean dietary pattern may have a lower risk of colorectal cancer, especially rectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The investigation of dose-response associations between carbohydrate intake, glycemic index, glycemic load, and risk of breast cancer stratified by menopausal status, hormone receptor status, and body mass index (BMI) remains inconclusive. Objective: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analyses was conducted to investigate these associations. Data Sources: As part of the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research Continuous Update Project, PubMed was searched up to May 2015 for relevant studies on these associations. Study Selection: Prospective studies reporting associations between carbohydrate intake, glycemic index, or glycemic load and breast cancer risk were included. Data Extraction: Two investigators independently extracted data from included studies. Results: Random-effects models were used to summarize relative risks (RRs) and 95%CIs. Heterogeneity between subgroups, including menopausal status, hormone receptor status, and BMI was explored using meta-regression. Nineteen publications were included. The summary RRs (95%CIs) for breast cancer were 1.04 (1.00-1.07) per 10 units/d for glycemic index, 1.01 (0.98-1.04) per 50 units/d for glycemic load, and 1.00 (0.96-1.05) per 50g/d for carbohydrate intake. For glycemic index, the association appeared slightly stronger among postmenopausal women (summary RR per 10 units/d, 1.06; 95%CI, 1.02-1.10) than among premenopausal women, though the difference was not statistically significant (Pheterogeneity = 0.15). Glycemic load and carbohydrate intake were positively associated with breast cancer among postmenopausal women with estrogen-negative tumors (summary RR for glycemic load, 1.28; 95%CI, 1.08-1.52; and summary RR for carbohydrates, 1.13; 95%CI, 1.02-1.25). No differences in BMI were detected. Conclusions: Menopausal and hormone receptor status, but not BMI, might be potential influencing factors for the associations between carbohydrate intake, glycemic index, glycemic load, and breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with a pro-inflammatory milieu that may partially account for its association with an increased cardiovascular risk. We aimed to (1) evaluate the serum concentrations of twelve cytokines and growth factors (epidermal growth factor (EGF), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IL-1α/-1β/-2/-4/-6/-8/-10, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), TNF-α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)) in 303 individuals with or without the MetS; and (2) explore their relationship with the presence of the MetS. Patients with the MetS had significantly higher serum concentrations of IFN-γ, EGF, IL-1α/-1β/-2/-4/-6/-8/-10, MCP-1 and TNF-α, whilst serum VEGF concentrations were markedly lower compared with the control group (e.g. 38·55 v. 82.18 pg/ml; P< 0.05). Amongst these parameters, IFN-γ and IL-1α emerged as the most significant independent predictors of the MetS. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that patients with the MetS had an altered blood cytokine and growth factor profile that may partially account for its adverse clinical outcomes. Further prospective studies in larger multi-centre settings are required to unravel the role and association of the emerging biomarkers with the MetS and their implication in therapeutic intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Evidence is conflicting regarding the relationship between low maternal alcohol consumption and birth outcomes. This paper aimed to investigate the association between alcohol intake before and during pregnancy with birth weight and gestational age and to examine the effect of timing of exposure. Methods A prospective cohort in Leeds, UK, of 1303 pregnant women aged 18-45 years. Questionnaires assessed alcohol consumption before pregnancy and for the three trimesters separately. Categories of alcohol consumption were divided into ≤2 units/week and ≥2 units/week with a nondrinking category as referent. This was related to size at birth and preterm delivery, adjusting for confounders including salivary cotinine as a biomarker of smoking status. Results Nearly two-thirds of women before pregnancy and over half in the first trimester reported alcohol intakes above the Department of Health (UK) guidelines of ≤2 units/week. Associations with birth outcomes were strongest for intakes ≥2 units/week before pregnancy and in trimesters 1 and 2 compared to non-drinkers. Even women adhering to the guidelines in the first trimester were at significantly higher risk of having babies with lower birth weight, lower birth centile and preterm birth compared to non-drinkers, after adjusting for confounders (p<0.05). Conclusions We found the first trimester to be the period most sensitive to the effect of alcohol on the developing fetus. Women adhering to guidelines in this period were still at increased risk of adverse birth outcomes. Our findings suggest that women should be advised to abstain from alcohol when planning to conceive and throughout pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: pressure ulcers, 25–30% of which are on the heels are a major burden to patients and healthcare systems. A better understanding of factors associated with healing is required to inform treatment and research priorities.Objectives: to identify patient and pressure ulcer characteristics associated with the healing of heel pressure ulcers.Study design and setting: patients with heel pressure ulcers were recruited to a prospective cohort study in a large teaching hospital in the UK, with a maximum 18-month follow-up. Cox proportional hazards model regression analysis was used to identify prognostic factors for healing.Results: one hundred and forty of 148 patients recruited were analysed. They had 183 pressure ulcers: 77 ulcers healed, 5 were on limbs amputated prior to ulcer healing, 88 were on patients who died prior to healing, 11 were present at the end of the study and 2 were lost to follow-up. The median time to healing was 121 (range 8–440) days. Of 12 variables associated with healing (P ≤ 0.2), multi-variable analysis identified two factors which were independently predictive of healing including the presence of a severe (versus superficial) ulcer (hazard ratio = 0.48, P < 0.1) and the presence of peripheral arterial disease (hazard ratio = 0.40, P < 0.1).Conclusions: increased ulcer severity and the presence of peripheral arterial disease significantly reduced the probability of healing. Treatments for heel pressure ulcers should consider the severity of the ulcer and the presence of peripheral arterial disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: The association between fruit and vegetable intake and colorectal cancer risk has been investigated by many studies but is controversial because of inconsistent results and weak observed associations. We summarized the evidence from cohort studies in categorical, linear, and nonlinear, dose–response meta-analyses. Methods: We searched PubMed for studies of fruit and vegetable intake and colorectal cancer risk that were published until the end of May 2010. We included 19 prospective studies that reported relative risk estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of colorectal cancer-associated with fruit and vegetable intake. Random effects models were used to estimate summary relative risks. Results: The summary relative risk for the highest vs the lowest intake was 0.92 (95% CI: 0.86–0.99) for fruit and vegetables combined, 0.90 (95% CI: 0.83–0.98) for fruit, and 0.91 (95% CI: 0.86–0.96) for vegetables (P for heterogeneity = .24, .05, and .54, respectively). The inverse associations appeared to be restricted to colon cancer. In linear dose–response analysis, only intake of vegetables was significantly associated with colorectal cancer risk (summary relative risk = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.97–0.99), per 100 g/d. However, significant inverse associations emerged in nonlinear models for fruits (P nonlinearity < .001) and vegetables (P nonlinearity = .001). The greatest risk reduction was observed when intake increased from very low levels of intake. There was generally little evidence of heterogeneity in the analyses and there was no evidence of small-study bias. Conclusions: Based on meta-analysis of prospective studies, there is a weak but statistically significant nonlinear inverse association between fruit and vegetable intake and colorectal cancer risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The evidence that red and processed meat influences colorectal carcinogenesis was judged convincing in the 2007 World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute of Cancer Research report. Since then, ten prospective studies have published new results. Here we update the evidence from prospective studies and explore whether there is a non-linear association of red and processed meats with colorectal cancer risk. Methods and Findings: Relevant prospective studies were identified in PubMed until March 2011. For each study, relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were extracted and pooled with a random-effects model, weighting for the inverse of the variance, in highest versus lowest intake comparison, and dose-response meta-analyses. Red and processed meats intake was associated with increased colorectal cancer risk. The summary relative risk (RR) of colorectal cancer for the highest versus the lowest intake was 1.22 (95% CI = 1.1121.34) and the RR for every 100 g/day increase was 1.14 (95% CI = 1.0421.24). Non-linear dose-response meta-analyses revealed that colorectal cancer risk increases approximately linearly with increasing intake of red and processed meats up to approximately 140 g/day, where the curve approaches its plateau. The associations were similar for colon and rectal cancer risk. When analyzed separately, colorectal cancer risk was related to intake of fresh red meat (RR for 100 g/day increase = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.0521.31) and processed meat (RR for 50 g/day increase = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.1021.28). Similar results were observed for colon cancer, but for rectal cancer, no significant associations were observed Conclusions: High intake of red and processed meat is associated with significant increased risk of colorectal, colon and rectal cancers. The overall evidence of prospective studies supports limiting red and processed meat consumption as one of the dietary recommendations for the prevention of colorectal cancer [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]