Methods and participant characteristics in the Cancer Risk in Vegetarians Consortium: a cross-sectional analysis across 11 prospective studies

Abstract Background The associations of vegetarian diets with risks for site-specific cancers have not been estimated reliably due to the low number of vegetarians in previous studies. Therefore, the Cancer Risk in Vegetarians Consortium was established. The aim is to describe and compare the baseli...

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Main Authors: Yashvee Dunneram, Jia Yi Lee, Cody Z. Watling, Gary E. Fraser, Fayth Miles, Dorairaj Prabhakaran, Krithiga Shridhar, Dimple Kondal, Viswanathan Mohan, Mohammed K. Ali, Kabayam M. Venkat Narayan, Nikhil Tandon, Tammy Y. N. Tong, Tina H. T. Chiu, Ming-Nan Lin, Chin-Lon Lin, Hsin-Chou Yang, Yu-Jen Liang, Darren C. Greenwood, Huaidong Du, Zhengming Chen, Canqing Yu, Maria G. Kakkoura, Gillian K. Reeves, Keren Papier, Sarah Floud, Rashmi Sinha, Linda M. Liao, Erikka Loftfield, Janet E. Cade, Timothy J. Key, Aurora Perez-Cornago
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Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-08-01
Series:BMC Public Health
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19209-y
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author Yashvee Dunneram
Jia Yi Lee
Cody Z. Watling
Gary E. Fraser
Fayth Miles
Dorairaj Prabhakaran
Krithiga Shridhar
Dimple Kondal
Viswanathan Mohan
Mohammed K. Ali
Kabayam M. Venkat Narayan
Nikhil Tandon
Tammy Y. N. Tong
Tina H. T. Chiu
Ming-Nan Lin
Chin-Lon Lin
Hsin-Chou Yang
Yu-Jen Liang
Darren C. Greenwood
Huaidong Du
Zhengming Chen
Canqing Yu
Maria G. Kakkoura
Gillian K. Reeves
Keren Papier
Sarah Floud
Rashmi Sinha
Linda M. Liao
Erikka Loftfield
Janet E. Cade
Timothy J. Key
Aurora Perez-Cornago
author_facet Yashvee Dunneram
Jia Yi Lee
Cody Z. Watling
Gary E. Fraser
Fayth Miles
Dorairaj Prabhakaran
Krithiga Shridhar
Dimple Kondal
Viswanathan Mohan
Mohammed K. Ali
Kabayam M. Venkat Narayan
Nikhil Tandon
Tammy Y. N. Tong
Tina H. T. Chiu
Ming-Nan Lin
Chin-Lon Lin
Hsin-Chou Yang
Yu-Jen Liang
Darren C. Greenwood
Huaidong Du
Zhengming Chen
Canqing Yu
Maria G. Kakkoura
Gillian K. Reeves
Keren Papier
Sarah Floud
Rashmi Sinha
Linda M. Liao
Erikka Loftfield
Janet E. Cade
Timothy J. Key
Aurora Perez-Cornago
author_sort Yashvee Dunneram
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The associations of vegetarian diets with risks for site-specific cancers have not been estimated reliably due to the low number of vegetarians in previous studies. Therefore, the Cancer Risk in Vegetarians Consortium was established. The aim is to describe and compare the baseline characteristics between non-vegetarian and vegetarian diet groups and between the collaborating studies. Methods We harmonised individual-level data from 11 prospective cohort studies from Western Europe, North America, South Asia and East Asia. Comparisons of food intakes, sociodemographic and lifestyle factors were made between diet groups and between cohorts using descriptive statistics. Results 2.3 million participants were included; 66% women and 34% men, with mean ages at recruitment of 57 (SD: 7.8) and 57 (8.6) years, respectively. There were 2.1 million meat eaters, 60,903 poultry eaters, 44,780 pescatarians, 81,165 vegetarians, and 14,167 vegans. Food intake differences between the diet groups varied across the cohorts; for example, fruit and vegetable intakes were generally higher in vegetarians than in meat eaters in all the cohorts except in China. BMI was generally lower in vegetarians, particularly vegans, except for the cohorts in India and China. In general, but with some exceptions, vegetarians were also more likely to be highly educated and physically active and less likely to smoke. In the available resurveys, stability of diet groups was high in all the cohorts except in China. Conclusions Food intakes and lifestyle factors of both non-vegetarians and vegetarians varied markedly across the individual cohorts, which may be due to differences in both culture and socioeconomic status, as well as differences in questionnaire design. Therefore, care is needed in the interpretation of the impacts of vegetarian diets on cancer risk.
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spelling doaj-art-dc46d9cf2ce34b83a6dc01f8223f0dc22025-08-20T02:39:44ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582024-08-0124111910.1186/s12889-024-19209-yMethods and participant characteristics in the Cancer Risk in Vegetarians Consortium: a cross-sectional analysis across 11 prospective studiesYashvee Dunneram0Jia Yi Lee1Cody Z. Watling2Gary E. Fraser3Fayth Miles4Dorairaj Prabhakaran5Krithiga Shridhar6Dimple Kondal7Viswanathan Mohan8Mohammed K. Ali9Kabayam M. Venkat Narayan10Nikhil Tandon11Tammy Y. N. Tong12Tina H. T. Chiu13Ming-Nan Lin14Chin-Lon Lin15Hsin-Chou Yang16Yu-Jen Liang17Darren C. Greenwood18Huaidong Du19Zhengming Chen20Canqing Yu21Maria G. Kakkoura22Gillian K. Reeves23Keren Papier24Sarah Floud25Rashmi Sinha26Linda M. Liao27Erikka Loftfield28Janet E. Cade29Timothy J. Key30Aurora Perez-Cornago31Cancer Epidemiology Unit,Nuffield, Department of Population Health , University of OxfordCancer Epidemiology Unit,Nuffield, Department of Population Health , University of OxfordCancer Epidemiology Unit,Nuffield, Department of Population Health , University of OxfordCentre for Nutrition, Healthy Lifestyle, and Disease Prevention, School of Public Health, Loma Linda UniversityCentre for Nutrition, Healthy Lifestyle, and Disease Prevention, School of Public Health, Loma Linda UniversityCentre for Chronic Disease ControlCentre for Chronic Disease ControlCentre for Chronic Disease ControlMadras Diabetes Research Foundation (ICMR Center for Advanced Research On Diabetes) and Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities CentreEmory Global Diabetes Research Center, Woodruff Health Sciences Centerand, Emory University Emory Global Diabetes Research Center, Woodruff Health Sciences Centerand, Emory University Department of Endocrinology, All India Institute of Medical SciencesCancer Epidemiology Unit,Nuffield, Department of Population Health , University of OxfordDepartment of Nutritional Science, Fu-Jen Catholic UniversityDepartment of Family Medicine, Dalin Tzu Chi HospitalBuddhist Tzu Chi Medical FoundationInstitute of Statistical Science, Academia SinicaInstitute of Statistical Science, Academia SinicaSchool of Medicine, University of LeedsClinical Trial Service Unit & Epidemiological Studies Unit, Nuffield, Department of Population Health , University of OxfordClinical Trial Service Unit & Epidemiological Studies Unit, Nuffield, Department of Population Health , University of OxfordDepartment of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking UniversityClinical Trial Service Unit & Epidemiological Studies Unit, Nuffield, Department of Population Health , University of OxfordCancer Epidemiology Unit,Nuffield, Department of Population Health , University of OxfordCancer Epidemiology Unit,Nuffield, Department of Population Health , University of OxfordCancer Epidemiology Unit,Nuffield, Department of Population Health , University of OxfordDivision of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer InstituteDivision of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer InstituteDivision of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer InstituteNutritional Epidemiology Group, School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of LeedsCancer Epidemiology Unit,Nuffield, Department of Population Health , University of OxfordCancer Epidemiology Unit,Nuffield, Department of Population Health , University of OxfordAbstract Background The associations of vegetarian diets with risks for site-specific cancers have not been estimated reliably due to the low number of vegetarians in previous studies. Therefore, the Cancer Risk in Vegetarians Consortium was established. The aim is to describe and compare the baseline characteristics between non-vegetarian and vegetarian diet groups and between the collaborating studies. Methods We harmonised individual-level data from 11 prospective cohort studies from Western Europe, North America, South Asia and East Asia. Comparisons of food intakes, sociodemographic and lifestyle factors were made between diet groups and between cohorts using descriptive statistics. Results 2.3 million participants were included; 66% women and 34% men, with mean ages at recruitment of 57 (SD: 7.8) and 57 (8.6) years, respectively. There were 2.1 million meat eaters, 60,903 poultry eaters, 44,780 pescatarians, 81,165 vegetarians, and 14,167 vegans. Food intake differences between the diet groups varied across the cohorts; for example, fruit and vegetable intakes were generally higher in vegetarians than in meat eaters in all the cohorts except in China. BMI was generally lower in vegetarians, particularly vegans, except for the cohorts in India and China. In general, but with some exceptions, vegetarians were also more likely to be highly educated and physically active and less likely to smoke. In the available resurveys, stability of diet groups was high in all the cohorts except in China. Conclusions Food intakes and lifestyle factors of both non-vegetarians and vegetarians varied markedly across the individual cohorts, which may be due to differences in both culture and socioeconomic status, as well as differences in questionnaire design. Therefore, care is needed in the interpretation of the impacts of vegetarian diets on cancer risk.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19209-yVegetariansVegansMeat eatersPoultry eatersPescatariansConsortium
spellingShingle Yashvee Dunneram
Jia Yi Lee
Cody Z. Watling
Gary E. Fraser
Fayth Miles
Dorairaj Prabhakaran
Krithiga Shridhar
Dimple Kondal
Viswanathan Mohan
Mohammed K. Ali
Kabayam M. Venkat Narayan
Nikhil Tandon
Tammy Y. N. Tong
Tina H. T. Chiu
Ming-Nan Lin
Chin-Lon Lin
Hsin-Chou Yang
Yu-Jen Liang
Darren C. Greenwood
Huaidong Du
Zhengming Chen
Canqing Yu
Maria G. Kakkoura
Gillian K. Reeves
Keren Papier
Sarah Floud
Rashmi Sinha
Linda M. Liao
Erikka Loftfield
Janet E. Cade
Timothy J. Key
Aurora Perez-Cornago
Methods and participant characteristics in the Cancer Risk in Vegetarians Consortium: a cross-sectional analysis across 11 prospective studies
BMC Public Health
Vegetarians
Vegans
Meat eaters
Poultry eaters
Pescatarians
Consortium
title Methods and participant characteristics in the Cancer Risk in Vegetarians Consortium: a cross-sectional analysis across 11 prospective studies
title_full Methods and participant characteristics in the Cancer Risk in Vegetarians Consortium: a cross-sectional analysis across 11 prospective studies
title_fullStr Methods and participant characteristics in the Cancer Risk in Vegetarians Consortium: a cross-sectional analysis across 11 prospective studies
title_full_unstemmed Methods and participant characteristics in the Cancer Risk in Vegetarians Consortium: a cross-sectional analysis across 11 prospective studies
title_short Methods and participant characteristics in the Cancer Risk in Vegetarians Consortium: a cross-sectional analysis across 11 prospective studies
title_sort methods and participant characteristics in the cancer risk in vegetarians consortium a cross sectional analysis across 11 prospective studies
topic Vegetarians
Vegans
Meat eaters
Poultry eaters
Pescatarians
Consortium
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19209-y
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