Table 4.

Adjusted hazard ratios for gastrointestinal tract cancers associated with preserved vegetable consumption in the regions mainly consuming sour pickled vegetables (n = 105 372)*

Types of cancer	Frequency of preserved vegetable consumption					P for trend
	Never	Monthly	1–3 day/week	4–6 day/week	Daily
Oesophageal cancer
Case (incidence rate)	71 (58.5)	75 (38.4)	196 (37.8)	83 (44.5)	178 (85.6)
Model 1	1.00	0.99 (0.71–1.38)	1.04 (0.78–1.38)	1.17 (0.84–1.62)	1.58 (1.20–2.09)	<0.001
Model 2	1.00	1.02 (0.73–1.42)	1.07 (0.80–1.42)	1.14 (0.82–1.58)	1.35 (1.02–1.80)	0.013
Stomach cancer
Case (incidence rate)	121 (99.8)	136 (69.6)	391 (75.5)	155 (83.0)	150 (72.2)
Model 1	1.00	0.79 (0.62–1.02)	0.84 (0.67–1.04)	0.84 (0.66–1.08)	0.87 (0.68–1.11)	0.561
Model 2	1.00	0.80 (0.62–1.03)	0.86 (0.69–1.07)	0.86 (0.66–1.10)	0.91 (0.71–1.16)	0.771
Colorectal cancer
Case (incidence rate)	58 (47.8)	92 (47.1)	207 (40.0)	74 (39.6)	115 (55.3)
Model 1	1.00	1.47 (1.05–2.05)	1.39 (1.03–1.88)	1.33 (0.93–1.89)	1.34 (0.97–1.84)	0.311
Model 2	1.00	1.53 (1.09–2.14)	1.45 (1.07–1.97)	1.35 (0.95–1.94)	1.37 (0.99–1.89)	0.292
Gastrointestinal tract cancers†
Case (incidence rate)	238 (196.5)	291 (149.1)	767 (148.3)	304 (163.1)	419 (202.1)
Model 1	1.00	1.01 (0.85–1.21)	1.04 (0.89–1.21)	1.07 (0.90–1.28)	1.18 (1.01–1.39)	0.019
Model 2	1.00	1.04 (0.87–1.24)	1.07 (0.92–1.25)	1.07 (0.90–1.28)	1.16 (0.98–1.36)	0.072

*The regions mainly consuming sour pickled vegetables included Sichuan and Gansu. Incidence rate was expressed as No./100 000 person-years. Model one stratified by age-at-risk (five-year bands), sex, and survey areas, and adjusted for education level, annual household income, and family history of cancers. Model two further adjusted for tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activity, BMI, waist circumference, and dietary factors (consumption of fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, meat, and spicy food).

†This endpoint is the first incident gastrointestinal tract cancer (which could be either oesophageal, stomach, or colorectal cancer).