ARTICLES Relationship of Diet to Risk of Colorectal Adenoma in Men

Background: Rates of colorectal cancer in various countries are strongly correlated with per-capita consumption of red meat and animal fat and inversely associated with fiber con-sumption. There have been few studies, however, of dietary risk factors for colorectal adenomas, which are precursors of cancer. Purpose: Our purpose was to determine prospec-tively the relationship between dietary factors and risk of colorectal adenomas. Methods: Using data from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, we documented 170 cases of adenomas of the left colon or rectum in 7284 male health professionals who completed a food-frequency questionnaire in 1986 and who had a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy be-tween 1986 and 1988. Relative risk (RR) of adenoma was determined according to quintiles of nutrient intakes. Results: After adjustment for total energy intake, saturate