Table 1.
Population characteristics of people with colorectal cancer stratified by sex-specific quartiles of pre-diagnostic energy-adjusted intake of total dairy, low-fat dairy and high-fat dairy
| Characteristics | Total population (n = 1812) | Quartile of energy-adjusted dairy intake | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dairy | Low-fat dairy | High-fat dairy | |||||
| Q1 (n = 454) | Q4 (n = 454) | Q1 (n = 454) | Q4 (n = 454) | Q1 (n = 454) | Q4 (n = 454) | ||
| Age, years, median [IQR] | 66 [61–72] | 64 [59–70] | 68 [63–74] | 66 [61–71] | 67 [61–74] | 64 [59–69] | 67 [63–73] |
| Female sex, No. (%) | 666 (36.8) | 167 (36.8) | 167 (36.8) | 167 (36.8) | 167 (36.8) | 167 (36.8) | 167 (36.8) |
| BMI, kg/m2, median [IQR] | 26.2 [24.0–28.7] | 26.3 [24.1–28.8] | 26.2 [24.0–28.7] | 25.8 [23.7–28.3] | 26.2 [24.1–28.7] | 25.9 [23.9–28.4] | 25.4 [23.2–28.1] |
| Waist-hip-ratio, median [IQR]a | 0.95 [0.90–1.00] | 0.95 [0.90–1.00] | 0.95 [0.90–1.00] | 0.95 [0.90–1.00] | 0.95 [0.90–1.00] | 0.95 [0.89–1.01] | 0.94 [0.90–1.00] |
| Level of education, No. (%)b | |||||||
| Low | 763 (42.1) | 177 (39.0) | 203 (44.7) | 185 (40.7) | 182 (40.1) | 166 (36.6) | 221 (48.7) |
| Medium | 454 (25.1) | 120 (26.4) | 112 (24.7) | 118 (26.0) | 111 (24.4) | 124 (27.3) | 105 (23.1) |
| High | 591 (32.6) | 156 (34.4) | 136 (30.0) | 150 (33.0) | 159 (35.0) | 163 (35.9) | 125 (27.5) |
| Unknown | 4 (0.2) | 1 (0.2) | 3 (0.7) | 1 (0.2) | 2 (0.4) | 1 (0.2) | 3 (0.7) |
| Smoking status, No. (%) | |||||||
| Current | 184 (10.2) | 65 (14.3) | 40 (8.8) | 69 (15.2) | 33 (7.3) | 41 (9.0) | 57 (12.6) |
| Former | 1057 (58.3) | 263 (57.9) | 265 (58.4) | 253 (55.7) | 261 (57.5) | 269 (59.3) | 254 (55.9) |
| Never | 566 (31.2) | 125 (27.5) | 147 (32.4) | 131 (28.9) | 158 (34.8) | 143 (31.5) | 141 (31.1) |
| Unknown | 5 (0.3) | 1 (0.2) | 2 (0.4) | 1 (0.2) | 2 (0.4) | 1 (0.2) | 2 (0.4) |
| Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, hours/week, median [IQR] c | 11 [6–20] | 11 [6–20] | 12 [5–21] | 11 [6–20] | 12 [6–19] | 12 [6–20] | 11 [5–19] |
| Calcium supplement use, No. (%)d | 313 (17.3) | 92 (20.3) | 67 (14.8) | 83 (18.3) | 82 (18.1) | 79 (17.4) | 64 (14.1) |
| Vitamin D supplement use, No. (%) | 482 (26.6) | 119 (26.2) | 122 (26.9) | 114 (25.1) | 139 (30.6) | 132 (29.1) | 107 (23.6) |
| Location of the tumor, No. (%)e | |||||||
| Proximal colon | 549 (30.3) | 133 (29.3) | 149 (32.8) | 132 (29.1) | 133 (29.3) | 127 (28.0) | 149 (32.8) |
| Distal colon | 650 (35.9) | 164 (36.1) | 164 (36.1) | 170 (37.4) | 179 (39.4) | 173 (38.1) | 142 (31.3) |
| Rectum | 552 (30.5) | 143 (31.5) | 130 (28.6) | 136 (30.0) | 128 (28.2) | 133 (29.3) | 152 (33.5) |
| Unknown | 61 (3.4) | 14 (3.1) | 11 (2.4) | 16 (3.5) | 14 (3.1) | 21 (4.6) | 11 (2.4) |
| Disease stage, No. (%) | |||||||
| I | 471 (26.0) | 128 (28.2) | 132 (29.1) | 123 (27.1) | 121 (26.7) | 116 (25.6) | 119 (26.2) |
| II | 490 (27.0) | 104 (22.9) | 122 (26.9) | 108 (23.8) | 128 (28.2) | 125 (27.5) | 133 (29.3) |
| III | 770 (42.5) | 200 (44.1) | 183 (40.3) | 203 (44.7) | 185 (40.7) | 187 (41.2) | 190 (41.9) |
| Unknown | 81 (4.5) | 22 (4.8) | 17 (3.7) | 20 (4.4) | 20 (4.4) | 26 (5.7) | 12 (2.6) |
| Type of treatment, No. (%)f | |||||||
| Surgery only | 962 (53.1) | 241 (53.1) | 256 (56.4) | 236 (52.0) | 248 (54.6) | 237 (52.2) | 242 (53.3) |
| Surgery + chemotherapy | 405 (22.4) | 104 (22.9) | 87 (19.2) | 111 (24.4) | 91 (20.0) | 108 (23.8) | 93 (20.5) |
| Surgery + radiotherapy | 189 (10.4) | 40 (8.8) | 55 (12.1) | 38 (8.4) | 50 (11.0) | 38 (8.4) | 59 (13.0) |
| Surgery + chemotherapy + radiotherapy | 182 (10.0) | 52 (11.5) | 42 (9.3) | 50 (11.0) | 47 (10.4) | 49 (10.8) | 47 (10.4) |
| No or unknown surgery | 70 (3.9) | 17 (3.7) | 12 (2.6) | 19 (4.2) | 17 (3.7) | 22 (4.8) | 13 (2.9) |
| Unknown treatment | 4 (0.2) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (0.4) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (0.2) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| ASA classification, No. (%) | |||||||
| I | 502 (27.7) | 135 (29.7) | 120 (26.4) | 138 (30.4) | 106 (23.3) | 133 (29.3) | 135 (29.7) |
| II | 959 (52.9) | 226 (49.8) | 249 (54.8) | 222 (48.9) | 262 (57.7) | 242 (53.3) | 231 (50.9) |
| III | 204 (11.3) | 48 (10.6) | 58 (12.8) | 52 (11.5) | 51 (11.2) | 38 (8.4) | 58 (12.8) |
| IV | 4 (0.2) | 1 (0.2) | 1 (0.2) | 1 (0.2) | 1 (0.2) | 1 (0.2) | 2 (0.4) |
| Unknown | 143 (7.9) | 44 (9.7) | 26 (5.7) | 41 (9.0) | 34 (7.5) | 40 (8.8) | 28 (6.2) |
| Dietary intake, median [IQR] | |||||||
| Total energy intake, kcal/day | 1810 [1506–2172] | 1899 [1520–2237] | 1854 [1546–2261] | 1884 [1517–2209] | 1851 [1568–2201] | 2028 [1703–2356] | 1837 [1517–2189] |
| Energy-adjusted total dairy, g/day | 270 [177–383] | 114 [72–146] | 481 [423–584] | 131 [76–200] | 454 [388–560] | 232 [117–352] | 327 [231–450] |
| Energy-adjusted low-fat dairy, g/dayg | 165 [70–281] | 44 [9–83] | 369 [283–455] | 20 [-5–45] | 372 [315–455] | 212 [96–321] | 110 [33–216] |
| Energy-adjusted high-fat dairy, g/dayh | 77 [46–126] | 59 [28–91] | 96 [55–186] | 96 [56–166] | 64 [38–99] | 24 [5–37] | 184 [150–246] |
| Energy-adjusted milk, g/dayi | 50.4 [14.7–141.8] | 16.0 [-8.0–37.3] | 188.3 [56.1–292.3] | 19.1 [-3.7–41.9] | 167.2 [43.1–281.6] | 34.4 [-2.3–132.6] | 66.6 [20.9–170.6] |
| Energy-adjusted yoghurt, g/dayj | 72.2 [19.5–139.3] | 20.6 [3.1–61.1] | 140.8 [55.0–250.0] | 20.2 [2.7–66.6] | 131.1 [51.2–225.3] | 60.9 [8.5–142.6] | 92.1 [35.6–151.7] |
| Energy-adjusted cheese, g/dayk | 27.7 [15.8–43.0] | 22.3 [11.8–40.3] | 29.6 [17.8–44.4] | 26.4 [14.3–45.7] | 26.2 [14.9–40.0] | 17.8 [8.8–27.5] | 32.3 [18.3–51.7] |
| Dietary fiber, g/day | 19.7 [15.9–24.2] | 19.7 [15.6–23.9] | 19.9 [16.0–24.6] | 19.3 [15.3–23.4] | 20.4 [16.7–24.9] | 22.5 [19.3–26.8] | 18.9 [14.8–24.0] |
| Wholegrains, g/day | 111.1 [75.4–150.8] | 110.3 [74.0–151.3] | 107.9 [75.6–149.5] | 107.4 [68.4–150.9] | 113.9 [78.5–155.6] | 129.4 [85.8–172.1] | 104.6 [71.3–145.2] |
| Red meat, g/day | 35.7 [20.5–49.8] | 36.8 [21.4–53.6] | 34.8 [20.0–48.2] | 35.9 [19.6–51.4] | 35.7 [20.4–48.5] | 37.7 [24.7–52.0] | 34.5 [20.9–48.5] |
| Processed meat, g/day | 28.1 [13.3–44.6] | 33.6 [16.3–51.7] | 25.1 [12.8–41.8] | 30.5 [14.9–45.6] | 26.3 [13.7–45.9] | 35.0 [16.4–53.4] | 25.0 [11.8–40.3] |
| Alcohol, g/day | 8.1 [1.0–20.4] | 13.0 [1.9–26.4] | 4.6 [0.5–14.2] | 9.6 [0.8–23.3] | 5.6 [0.9–16.6] | 12.7 [2.4–26.7] | 4.4 [0.3–14.2] |
| Dietary calcium, mg/day | 855 [650–1087] | 638 [495–833] | 1145 [938–1364] | 689 [520–916] | 1087 [898–1310] | 830 [625–1055] | 951 [770–1207] |
ASA American Society of Anesthesiologists, IQR interquartile range
aData were missing for 4 participants
bLow education was defined as primary school and lower general secondary education; medium as lower vocational training and higher general secondary education; high as higher vocational training and university
cModerate-to-vigorous physical activity included all activities with a metabolic equivalent value ≥ 3 [17]. Data were missing for 8 participants
dData were missing for 1 participant
eProximal colon includes the caecum, appendix, ascending colon, hepatic flexure, and transverse colon. Distal colon includes the splenic flexure, descending colon, and sigmoid colon. Rectum includes the rectosigmoid junction and rectum
fTreatment includes neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment
gLow-fat dairy included buttermilk and low-fat, reduced-fat or skimmed versions of milk, yoghurt, custard, and soft curd cheese
hHigh-fat dairy included whole and condensed milk, full-fat versions of yoghurt, custard and soft curd cheese, all other cheeses, ice cream, whipped cream, and butter
iTotal milk included all plain and sweetened milk, regardless of fat content
jTotal yoghurt included all plain and sweetened yoghurt, yoghurt drinks and soft curd cheese, regardless of fat content
kTotal cheese included all hard cheese and soft cheese, except for soft curd cheese