Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Fruit and vegetable consumption in relation to risk factors for cancer: a report from the Malmo Diet and Cancer Study

Wallström, Peter LU ; Wirfält, Elisabet LU ; Janzon, Lars LU ; Mattisson, Iréne LU ; Elmståhl, Sölve LU ; Johansson, Ulla LU and Berglund, Göran LU (2000) In Public Health Nutrition 3(3). p.263-271
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between the consumption of fruit and vegetables and other markers of cancer risk. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey within the population-based prospective Malmo Diet and Cancer (MDC) Study. Information on food habits was collected through the modified diet history method designed and validated for the MDC Study. Data on smoking and alcohol habits, leisure time physical activity, birth country, education, socioeconomic status and cohabitation status were collected through a questionnaire. SETTING: Malmo, the third largest city in Sweden. SUBJECTS: All subjects who entered the MDC Study during winter 1991 to summer 1994 (men and women living in Malmo, aged between 46 and 68 years), with a total of 15... (More)
OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between the consumption of fruit and vegetables and other markers of cancer risk. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey within the population-based prospective Malmo Diet and Cancer (MDC) Study. Information on food habits was collected through the modified diet history method designed and validated for the MDC Study. Data on smoking and alcohol habits, leisure time physical activity, birth country, education, socioeconomic status and cohabitation status were collected through a questionnaire. SETTING: Malmo, the third largest city in Sweden. SUBJECTS: All subjects who entered the MDC Study during winter 1991 to summer 1994 (men and women living in Malmo, aged between 46 and 68 years), with a total of 15 173. RESULTS: Women consumed more fruit and vegetables than men. Low consumption of both fruits and vegetables was associated with unfavourable nutrient profiles: higher percentage of energy from fat and lower intakes of antioxidant nutrients and dietary fibre. Low consumption was also associated with smoking, low leisure time physical activity, low education and being born in Sweden. High age was associated with low vegetable consumption in both genders. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that several established risk markers and risk factors of cancer may be independently associated with low fruit and vegetable consumption. The findings suggest that the adverse effects of factors such as smoking, low physical activity and a high-fat diet could partly be explained by low consumption of fruit or vegetables. The implied health benefits of a low or moderate alcohol consumption may be similarly confounded by high consumption of fruit or vegetables. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Fruits, Vegetables, Cross-sectional study, Smoking, Alcohol, Sociodemographic factors, Sweden
in
Public Health Nutrition
volume
3
issue
3
pages
263 - 271
publisher
Cambridge University Press
external identifiers
  • pmid:10979146
  • scopus:0033830885
ISSN
1475-2727
DOI
10.1017/S1368980000000306
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ee6f3877-175f-434a-a793-b40ce769147b (old id 1116230)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:08:51
date last changed
2022-01-28 17:39:04
@article{ee6f3877-175f-434a-a793-b40ce769147b,
  abstract     = {{OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between the consumption of fruit and vegetables and other markers of cancer risk. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey within the population-based prospective Malmo Diet and Cancer (MDC) Study. Information on food habits was collected through the modified diet history method designed and validated for the MDC Study. Data on smoking and alcohol habits, leisure time physical activity, birth country, education, socioeconomic status and cohabitation status were collected through a questionnaire. SETTING: Malmo, the third largest city in Sweden. SUBJECTS: All subjects who entered the MDC Study during winter 1991 to summer 1994 (men and women living in Malmo, aged between 46 and 68 years), with a total of 15 173. RESULTS: Women consumed more fruit and vegetables than men. Low consumption of both fruits and vegetables was associated with unfavourable nutrient profiles: higher percentage of energy from fat and lower intakes of antioxidant nutrients and dietary fibre. Low consumption was also associated with smoking, low leisure time physical activity, low education and being born in Sweden. High age was associated with low vegetable consumption in both genders. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that several established risk markers and risk factors of cancer may be independently associated with low fruit and vegetable consumption. The findings suggest that the adverse effects of factors such as smoking, low physical activity and a high-fat diet could partly be explained by low consumption of fruit or vegetables. The implied health benefits of a low or moderate alcohol consumption may be similarly confounded by high consumption of fruit or vegetables.}},
  author       = {{Wallström, Peter and Wirfält, Elisabet and Janzon, Lars and Mattisson, Iréne and Elmståhl, Sölve and Johansson, Ulla and Berglund, Göran}},
  issn         = {{1475-2727}},
  keywords     = {{Fruits; Vegetables; Cross-sectional study; Smoking; Alcohol; Sociodemographic factors; Sweden}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{263--271}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  series       = {{Public Health Nutrition}},
  title        = {{Fruit and vegetable consumption in relation to risk factors for cancer: a report from the Malmo Diet and Cancer Study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1368980000000306}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/S1368980000000306}},
  volume       = {{3}},
  year         = {{2000}},
}