Table 1.

Major results of dietary patterns derived from a posteriori methods and colorectal cancer

Study (yr)	Study type/population	No. of cases	Diet pattern characteristics	Major results
De Stefani et al. [15]	Case control Uruguay	611 cases of CRC (320 colon; 291 rectal), 1,362 controls	Three patterns: Meat-based (red and processed meat, dairy, fried eggs and total eggs) Plant-based (raw and cooked veg, citrus, other fruit, total fruit, and total fruit and veg) CHO patterns (white bread, grains, and cooked veg)	For CRC, meat-based pattern: OR = 1.61 (95% CI: 1.22-2.18; p = 0.001); plant-based pattern OR = 0.6 (95% CI: 0.45-0.81; p ≤ 0.0001) CHO-pattern positively assoc w/colon cancer only (not rectal) OR = 1.46; (95% CI 1.02-2.09) Comparison between highest quartile vs. lowest
Pou et al. [13]	Case control Argentina	41 cases of CRC, 95 controls	Three patterns: Southern-cone pattern (red meat, wine, starchy veg) High-sugar drinks pattern Prudent pattern (high fruit, non-starchy veg, and dairy)	Prudent pattern (OR 0.3; 95% CI 0.2-0.4) Southern cone (OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.0-2.2) High-sugar drinks (OR 3.8; 95% CI 2.0-7.1), Comparison between tertile 3 of intake vs. tertile 1
De Stefani et al. [14]	Case control Uruguay	610 cases (320 colon, 290 rectum), 1,220 controls	Four patterns for men: Prudent (white meat, dairy, raw veg, fruit) Traditional(desserts, cooked veg, tubers, legumes) Western (red meat, processed meat, eggs) Drinker (alcoholic beverages)	Western pattern assoc. w/ increased colon cancer risk (not rectal) in men (OR 2.62 95% CI: 1.36-5.08); similar results in women.
				Rectal cancer inversely assoc w/ the highest dose of prudent and traditional diets in men (OR 0.49; 95% CI: 0.28-0.57)
			Three patterns for women:
			Prudent, western, drinker
Magalhaes et al. [16]	Case control Portugal	253 cases; (102 colon, 151 rectum) 879 controls	Three patterns: Pattern I (high dairy, wholegrain cereals, veg/salads, legumes, fruits and veg soup, low wine intake). Pattern II (low consumption of milk and fiber containing foods; also low dairy, veg, legumes, and fruit.) Pattern III (high red/processed meat, refined cereals, sugar/sweets, potatoes, alcohol; low intake of wholegrain cereals and veg soup).	Compared with pattern I, pattern II had higher risk of colon cancer (OR = 2.07; 95% CI 1.04-4.14) and pattern III (OR = 2.35; 95% CI 1.19-4.64)
				For rectum cx pattern II (OR = 3.12; 95% CI: 1.74-5.61) and pattern III (OR = 1.41; 95% CI: 0.75-2.63) compared with pattern I
Fung et al. [18•]	Cohort USA	985 CRC cases (758 colon, 211 rectal)	C-peptide dietary pattern (high meat, fish, SSB and low coffee, high-fat dairy, whole grains)	C-peptide diet: RR = 1.29; 95% CI 1.05-1.58; p = 0.048
				Colon cancer: RR = 1.35; 95% CI 1.07-1.7; p = 0.009
				Comparison between fifth and first quintile
Makambi et al. [17•]	Cohort USA	620 colorectal adenomas	Two patterns: Western (refined grains, high-fat dairy, meat/processed meat, eggs, margarine, butter, mayo, fries, sweets, soda, and snacks). Prudent (high intake of cruciferous and other veg, fruits, whole grains, cereals, beans, low-fat dairy, fish and poultry)	Western diet score: IRR = 1.42; 95% CI 1.09-1.85; p = 0.01
				Prudent score: IRR = 0.66; 95% CI 0.5-0.88; p ≤ 0.01