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. 2019 Jun 18;11(6):1368. doi: 10.3390/nu11061368

Table 5.

Association between levels of global DNA methylation with dietary intake of folate, alcohol, and methionine of patients undergoing pre-treatment for colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Dietary Variables
(Folate, Alcohol, and Methionine)
Global DNA Methylation
in Tumor (%)
Global DNA Methylation
in Blood (%)
n Mean (SD) p n Mean (SD) p
Supplementation 111 123
No 99 52.02 (±24.60) 0.85 111 27.13 (±19.89) 0.81
Yes 12 50.68 (±21.65) 12 26.47 (±6.97)
DFE diet 1 111 123
1st tertile 35 49.82 (±22.36) 0.26 44 32.29 (±28.96) 0.06
2nd tertile 40 56.83 (±26.41) 40 24.86 (±9.08)
3rd tertile 36 48.36 (±23.11) 39 23.42 (±8.68)
DFE total 2 12 12
1st tertile 1 34.22 0.71 1 25.44 0.34
2nd tertile 5 49.44 (±13.25) 5 30.03 (±7.54)
3rd tertile 6 54.46 (±28.61) 6 23.67 (±6.24)
Alcohol 111 123
1st tertile 36 51.81 (±22.65) 0.96 37 24.67 (±8.42) 0.64
2nd tertile 41 52.54 (±25.46) 46 27.65 (±25.55)
3rd tertile 34 51.13 (±24.97) 40 28.59 (±17.90)
Methionine 111 123
1st tertile 34 54.89 (±25.90) 0.65 38 31.59 (±30.76) 0.15
2nd tertile 38 51.43 (±26.22) 45 26.49 (±9.80)
3rd tertile 39 49.67 (±20.79) 40 23.40 (±9.48)

SD = standard deviation; DFE = dietary folate equivalent; 1 DFE diet = natural folate + 1.7 × (synthetic folate in diet); 2 DFE total = DFE diet + DFE supplement. Note: The first tertile represents the lower level of nutrient intake and the last tertile (3°) the highest level of nutrient intake.