Comparison of Baseline Dietary Intake of Hispanic and Matched Non-Hispanic White Breast Cancer Survivors Enrolled in the Women's Healthy Eating and Living Study
Accepted 21 February 2008.
Abstract
Objective
To assess the reported baseline dietary intake of Hispanic and non-Hispanic white breast cancer survivors in the Women's Healthy Eating and Living study, a randomized plant-based dietary intervention clinical trial.
Design
Dietary data from 4 days repeated 24-hour recalls within 3 weeks included daily total intake of energy, protein, carbohydrates, cholesterol, total fat, monounsaturated fat, saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, fruit/vegetable servings, carotenoids, alcohol, caffeine, and percentage of energy from protein, carbohydrates, alcohol, and fats.
Subjects
One hundred sixty-five Hispanic breast cancer survivors age-matched to 165 non-Hispanic white breast cancer survivors diagnosed with Stage I, II, or IIIA primary operable breast cancer.
Statistical analyses
Two-sample t tests and Wilcoxon rank sum tests to compare dietary intake, and logistic and ordinal logistic regression analyses to examine the association between ethnicity, alcohol, and lycopene consumption, while controlling for place of birth, education, body mass index, and time since diagnosis.
Results
Hispanics were more likely to be foreign-born (P<0.001), less educated (P<0.0001) and to consume higher amounts of lycopene (P=0.029), while non-Hispanic whites were more likely to consume alcohol (P=0.001). However, no differences were observed in the average amounts of alcohol consumed or total percents of energy from alcohol. Both groups consumed more than five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Being Hispanic remained a significant predictor of lower alcohol use (P=0.004) and higher lycopene consumption (P=0.005) after controlling for place of birth, education, body mass index, and time since diagnosis.
Conclusions
There are more similarities than differences in the dietary intake of Hispanic and non-Hispanic white breast cancer survivors in the Women's Healthy Eating and Living study. Further analysis is needed to determine if higher lycopene consumption shown among the Hispanic participants will translate to greater protection against breast cancer recurrence or increased survival.
Address correspondence to: María A. Hernández-Valero, DrPH, Center for Research on Minority Health, Department of Health Disparities Research, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 639, Houston, TX 77030.
ABSTRACT
Comparison of Baseline Dietary Intake of Hispanic and Matched Non-Hispanic White Breast Cancer Survivors Enrolled in the Women's Healthy Eating and Living Study