Table 3. RR and 95% CI for breast cancer according to categories or a two-point increment in the Mediterranean diet score.
| Full Mediterranean diet score1 | Cases (n) | RR (95% CI)2 | Mediterranean diet score excluding the alcohol component3 | Cases (n) | RR (95% CI)4 | |
| All women | 0–2 | 196 | 1.00 | 0–2 | 226 | 1.00 |
| 3–4 | 487 | 0.98 (0.83–1.16) | 3 | 235 | 0.98 (0.82–1.18) | |
| 5 | 263 | 1.03 (0.85–1.23) | 4–5 | 561 | 1.07 (0.93–1.25) | |
| 6–7 | 297 | 1.10 (0.92–1.33) | 6–7 | 221 | 1.07 (0.88–1.29) | |
| 8–9 | 35 | 1.42 (0.99–2.05) | 8 | 35 | 1.42 (0.99–2.03) | |
| Ptrend = 0.05 | Ptrend = 0.12 | |||||
| Two-point increment in the score | 1278 | 1.08 (1.00–1.15) | Two-point increment in the score | 1278 | 1.06 (0.98–1.13) | |
| Premenopausal women 5 | 0–2 | 117 | 1.00 | 0–2 | 131 | 1.00 |
| 3–4 | 284 | 0.98 (0.79–1.22) | 3 | 135 | 0.98 (0.77–1.25) | |
| 5 | 155 | 1.07 (0.84–1.37) | 4–5 | 328 | 1.13 (0.92–1.39) | |
| 6–7 | 153 | 1.04 (0.81–1.33) | 6–7 | 115 | 1.03 (0.79–1.33) | |
| 8–9 | 27 | 2.12 (1.39–3.24) | 8 | 27 | 2.17 (1.42–3.30) | |
| Ptrend = 0.08 | Ptrend = 0.05 | |||||
| Two-point increment in the score | 736 | 1.10 (1.01–1.21) | Two-point increment in the score | 736 | 1.07 (0.98–1.18) | |
| Postmenopausal women 5 | 0–2 | 66 | 1.00 | 0–2 | 82 | 1.00 |
| 3–4 | 166 | 0.93 (0.69–1.23) | 3 | 79 | 0.89 (0.65–1.21) | |
| 5 | 84 | 0.85 (0.61–1.17) | 4–5 | 186 | 0.89 (0.68–1.15) | |
| 6–7 | 125 | 1.14 (0.84–1.55) | 6–7 | 94 | 1.08 (0.79–1.46) | |
| 8–9 | 7 | 0.63 (0.29–1.37) | 8 | 7 | 0.59 (0.27–1.28) | |
| Ptrend = 0.55 | Ptrend = 0.89 | |||||
| Two-point increment in the score | 448 | 1.02 (0.91–1.15) | Two-point increment in the score | 448 | 1.02 (0.90–1.15) |
The Mediterranean score includes the consumption of the following components: alcohol, vegetables, fruits, legumes, cereals, fish, unsaturated to saturated fat ratio, and dairy and meat products. Its value ranges from 0 to 9 with a high value corresponding to a high adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern as defined in the present report.
Analyses were adjusted for history of breast cancer in mother and/or sister(s), personal history of benign breast disease, smoking status, BMI, height, age at first birth and number of children, educational level, age at menarche, total energy intake, consumption of beverages, potatoes, sweets, and eggs.
This score excludes the alcohol component and considers only the eight remaining components listed in 1. Its value ranges from 0 to 8.
Further to the variables listed in 2, analyses were also adjusted for alcohol consumption.
The same woman can be in both premenopausal and postmenopausal categories, if they were both premenopausal and postmenopausal during the follow-up period.
Abbreviations: n, number of participants, RR, relative risk.