Selected Food Intake And Risk Of Endometriosis
F. Parazzini1,2,4, F. Chiaffarino1, M. Surace1, L. Chatenoud1, S. Cipriani1, V. Chiantera1, G. Benzi3 And L. Fedele2 1 Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche ‘Mario Negri’, 20157 Milano, 2 Clinica Ostetrico Ginecologica, Università Di Milano, 20122 Milano And 3 Studi Di Via Fontana, 20122 Milano, Italy 4 To Whom Correspondence Should Be Addressed At: Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche ‘Mario Negri’, Via Eritrea, 62–20157 Milano, Italy.
BACKGROUND: To offer data on the relationship between diet and risk of pelvic endometriosis, we analysed data collected in the framework of two case–control studies. METHODS: Data from two case–control studies conducted in Northern Italy between 1984 and 1999 were combined. Cases were 504 women aged <65 years (median age 33 years, range 20–65) with a laparoscopically confirmed diagnosis of endometriosis, admitted to a network of obstetrics and gynaecology departments in Milan, Brescia and Pavia. Controls were 504 women (median age 34 years, range 20–61) admitted for acute non-gynaecological, non-hormonal, non-neoplastic conditions.
RESULTS: Compared to women in the lowest tertile of intake, a significant reduction in risk emerged for higher intake of green vegetables [odds ratio (OR) 5 0.3 for the highest tertile of intake] and fresh fruit (OR 5 0.6), whereas an increase in risk was associated with high intake of beef and other red meat (OR 5 2.0) and ham (OR 5 1.8). Consumption of milk, liver, carrots, cheese, fish and whole-grain foods, as well as coffee and alcohol consumption, were not significantly related to endometriosis.
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