ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: A pilot case-control study was conducted to examine the possible association between dietary fat intake and the development of postmenopausal breast cancer. BACKGROUND: Studies regarding the association between dietary fat intake and the development of breast cancer among postmenopausal women are lacking in Puerto Rico. METHODS: Eighteen cases and eighteen controls were interviewed to obtain sociodemographic information, medical history and dietary fat intake. A semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire containing 67 food items was used to collect the dietary information. RESULTS: Unadjusted odds ratios (OR) and their 95 per cent confidence intervals (CI) showed a non-significant positive association for total fat intake and the development of postmenopausal breast cancer (OR = 1.57; 95 per cent CI: 0.42-5.90, p = 0.25). The same non significant positive association was found for saturated fat intake (OR = 1.57; 95 per cent CI: 0.42-5.90, p = 0.25). Polyunsaturated fat (OR = 1.25; 95 per cent CI: 0.34-4.64, p = 0.37) and monounsaturated fat (OR = 1.25; 95 per cent CI: 0.34-4.64, p = 0.37) were also positively associated with postmenopausal breast cancer, although the associations were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with other case-control studies that have shown non-significant positive associations between total fat and the different components of dietary fat and postmenopausal breast cancer.
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Child , Adult , Middle Aged , Breast Neoplasms/epidemiology , Dietary Fats/adverse effects , Fatty Acids/adverse effects , Age Factors , Breast Neoplasms/etiology , Case-Control Studies , Data Interpretation, Statistical , Dietary Fats, Unsaturated/adverse effects , Menarche , Postmenopause , Puerto Rico/epidemiology , Risk Factors , SoftwareABSTRACT
Descriptive epidemiologic data suggest a relationship between consumption of high fat diets and breast cancer; although these data can be potentially confounded by other causative exposures. Results of published case-control and cohort studies are inconclusive. Nevertheless, dietary fat significantly affects mammary tumorigenesis in mice and rats in laboratory experiments. We will review current epidemiologic and animal studies, explain the possible mechanisms of how dietary fat may affect breast cancer, and provide preliminary dietary recommendations.
Subject(s)
Humans , Animals , Female , Rats , Mice , Adult , Middle Aged , Breast Neoplasms/epidemiology , Dietary Fats/adverse effects , Age Factors , Breast Neoplasms/metabolism , Breast Neoplasms/prevention & control , Case-Control Studies , Cohort Studies , Data Interpretation, Statistical , Energy Intake , Lipid Peroxidation , Postmenopause , Premenopause , Prostaglandins/biosynthesis , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Folate deficiency is one of today's most common vitamin deficiencies in women. Women who consume a low level of folate during pregnancy are at risk for poor pregnancy outcomes including neural tube defects (NTD). However, other factors such as heredity, social class, maternal age, birth order, maternal diet, length of time between pregnancies, maternal zinc deficiency, use of anticonvulsant drugs, abnormal homocysteine metabolism and the use of oral contraceptives, have also been implicated as causes of NTD. Animal studies have shown that fetuses are highly dependent on the folate status of the mother. In addition, several retrospective and prospective human studies have provided evidence that folate lowers the incidence of NTD
Subject(s)
Humans , Animals , Female , Pregnancy , Folic Acid/administration & dosage , Pregnancy Complications/prevention & control , Folic Acid Deficiency/prevention & control , Neural Tube Defects , Cebus , Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic , Folic Acid Deficiency/complications , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Neural Tube Defects/etiology , Prospective Studies , Retrospective Studies , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Se efectuó un estudio, utilizando el "Método del Status Quo", en un grupo de 1326 niñas de escuelas privadas del área metropolitana de San Juan entre las edades de 6 y 18 años. Un total de 599 niñas habían tenido la menarquia. La edad promedio a la cual tuvieron la menarquia fue de 12.24 años, con una desviación estandar de 1.42 años y un rango de 6 años 9 meses a 17 años 2 meses. No se encontraron diferencias significativas entre el grupo de niñas nacidas y criadas en Puerto Rico y las niñas nacidas y criadas fuera de Puerto Rico