Monday, March 1, 2010

Nutrient intake and risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

The Facts:
* Most macronutrients in the diet are not associated with a risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma according to the results of a food questionnaire completed by 591 patients with NHL and 460 controls in Sweden.
* Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) appeared to have a protective effect.
* Dietary calcium and retinol were found to increase the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Shaun’s comment: Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma refers to a group of cancers originating from one of the types of white blood cells. Other than people known to have HIV, the cause is usually not known. In this case-control study, where the diets of people with the disease and those without the disease were compared, omega-3 fatty acids and a higher intake of dietary fibre seemed to be protective.

Study reference:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwj330

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