Table 1 Baseline characteristics (means or percent) and dietary intakes of exposures of interest of colorectal cancer cases and non-cases in NLCS-MIC, 1986-2006.

From: Vegetarianism, low meat consumption and the risk of colorectal cancer in a population based cohort study

Characteristics

Non cases

Colorectal cancer cases

Colon cancer casesa

Rectal cancer casesa

N

9773

437

307

92

Meat consumption group (%)

Vegetarian

6%

5%

6%

1%

Pescetarian

4%

3%

4%

2%

1 day/wk meat

12%

9%

10%

11%

2–5 days/wk meat

26%

27%

27%

25%

6-7 days/wk meat

51%

56%

53%

61%

Sex (% men)

47%

53%*

50%

64%*

Age

61.3 ± 4.2b

61.4  ± 4.0

61.5 ± 4.1

61.2 ± 3.8

Current smokers (%)

26%

23%

21%

33%

BMI mean

24.7 ± 3.2

25.0 ± 3.2

24.9 ± 3.2

25.1 ± 3.1

Physical activity (non-occupational) (%)

<30 min/day

21%

19%

19%

15%

30–60 min/day

30%

33%

35%

30%

60–90 min/day

23%

19%

21%

16%

>90 min/day

26%

28%

25%

38%

Level of education (%)

Low

46%

47%

45%

51%

Medium

37%

37%

38%

37%

High

17%

16%

17%

12%

Supplement use (% users)

34%

31%

36%

22%*

Energy (kcal)

1888 ± 519

1919 ± 512

1888 ± 515

2032 ± 503*

Fiber (g)

28.2 ± 7.6

27.8 ± 7.2

27.8 ± 7.3

27.9 ± 6.5

Alcohol (g)

9.3 ± 13.8

11.8 ± 16.4*

11.9 ± 16.7*

12.3 ± 17.2*

Total fresh meat (g)c

81.1 ± 52.8

83.6 ± 48.1

80.9 ± 48.6

88.2 ± 48.4

Fresh red meat (g)d

70.6 ± 49.2

73.1 ± 45.5

70.7 ± 46.0

76.5 ± 44.3

Beef (g)

21.6 ± 23.9

22.1 ± 21.3

22.4 ± 21.9

19.5 ± 19.0

Pork (g)

30.5 ± 29.8

32.4 ± 29.0

29.9 ± 27.6

36.7 ± 28.6*

Minced meat (g)

14.9 ± 16.3

15.3 ± 15.0

15.1 ± 14.8

16.7 ± 16.7

Liver (g)

1.6 ± 4.0

1.6 ± 3.7

1.5 ± 3.6

1.9 ± 4.1

Chicken (g)

11.3 ± 14.8

11.2 ± 14.1

10.9 ± 12.3

12.3 ± 15.1

Processed meat (g)

11.0 ± 14.3

12.3 ± 14.4

11.4 ± 13.6

16.3 ± 17.8*

Fish (g)

13.1 ± 18.1

12.6 ± 14.9

13.3 ± 15.8

13.3 ± 12.9

Vegetables (g)

199 ± 89

200 ± 85

200 ± 88

204 ± 81

Fruits (g)

184 ± 128

175 ± 115

176 ± 115

168 ± 110

Pulses (g)

10.0 ± 16.7

10.1 ± 17.1

9.9 ± 13.3

9.5 ± 13.9

Soy products (g)

3.1 ± 17.8

2.0 ± 9.4

2.7 ± 9.9

0.4 ± 1.5

Milk (g)

312 ± 208

285 ± 189*

288 ± 193*

284  ± 188

Cheese (g)

25.9 ± 22.6

24.2 ± 20.8

23.1 ± 20.0*

30.4 ± 24.4

Eggs (g)

15.6 ± 11.7

16.2 ± 11.1

15.3 ± 10.0

18.7 ± 14.7*

  1. aColon and rectal cases do not sum to total colorectal cancer cases because rectosigmoid cases were not evaluated separately.
  2. bmean ± SD, all such values.
  3. cIntake based on raw meat weight.
  4. dIncludes beef, pork, minced meat, liver and other meat.
  5. *Statistically significant different from non-cases (using the χ2 test for categorical variables and ANOVA for continuous variables).
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