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Consumption of modern and traditional Moroccan dairy products and colorectal cancer risk: a large case control study

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Abstract

Purpose

The main objective of this study is to describe the association between the consumption of either traditional or modern dairy products or calcium intakes and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the adult Moroccan population.

Methods

A case–control study was conducted in five Moroccan hospital centers. The study was matched on sex, age (± 5 years) and center. Data were collected using validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) taking into account different types of Moroccan dairy products. Conditional logistic regression models were used to assess the association between dairy products consumption, calcium intakes and CRC risk subtypes. In all statistical tests, the significance level was set at 0.05.

Results

Among 1453 cases and 1453 matched controls, 50.7% were women and 49.3% were men. Milk ORb 0.84, 95% CI 0.74–0.96 and yogurt ORb 0.74, 95% CI 0.64–0.86 were inversely associated with CRC risk. Similar inverse associations were observed for traditional dairy products namely Lben ORb 0.77, 95% CI 0.67–0.88, Raib ORb 0.86, 95% CI 0.76–0.96 and Jben ORb 0.77, 95% CI 0.67–0.88. The dairy calcium intake was inversely associated to CRC overall ORb 0.83, 95% CI 0.74–0.93.

Conclusions

Our study supports previous international evidence and suggests that individuals who have a high intake of either modern or traditional dairy products are at lower risk for CRC. These findings should be further confirmed by longitudinal data and studies investigating potential pathways involved.

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Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Lalla Salma Foundation, Prevention and Treatment of Cancers (FLSC) and Moroccan Society of Diseases of the Digestive System (SMMAD) for the financing of this study. Many thanks also to all contributors to this work in the Five University Hospitals centers; the directors of UHCs: Fez (Pr. Ait Taleb K), Casablanca (Pr. Afif My H); Rabat (Pr. Chefchaouni Al Mountacer C); Oujda (Pr Daoudi A); and Marrakech (Pr. Nejmi H). The heads of medical services and their teams: Casablanca (Pr. Benider A; Pr Alaoui R; Pr. Hliwa W; Pr. Badre W, Pr. Bendahou K, Pr. Karkouri M.), Rabat (Pr. Ahallat M; Pr. Errabih I; Pr. El Feydi AE; Pr. Chad B; Pr. Belkouchi A; Pr. Errihani H; Pr. Mrabti H; Pr. Znati K), Fez (Pr. Nejjari C; Pr Ibrahimi SA; Pr. El Abkari M; Pr. Mellas N; Pr. Chbani L; Pr. Benjelloun MC), Oujda (Pr. Ismaili N; Pr. Chraïbi M; Pr. Abda N, Pr. Abbaoui S) and Marrakech (Pr. Khouchani M; Pr. Samlani Z; Pr. Belbaraka R; Pr. Amine M).

Funding

Funding-source funder-id Lalla Salma Foundation, Prevention and Treatment of Cancers (FLSC), award-id N˚06/AP2013.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and pharmacy of Fez, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Km 2. 200 Sidi Harazem Road, 1893, Fès, Morocco

    Khaoula El Kinany, Meimouna Mint Sidi Deoula, Zineb Hatime, Hanae Abir Boudouaya, Achraf El Asri & Karima El Rhazi

  2. Laboratory of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science Dhar Mehraz, Fès, Morocco

    Khaoula El Kinany

  3. Nutritional Epidemiology Group (NEP), International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, Lyon, France

    Inge Huybrechts

  4. Mohammed VI Center for the Treatment of Cancers, Ibn Rochd University Hospital Center Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco

    Abdelatif Benider

  5. Department of Surgery C, Avicenne University Hospital Center, Rabat, Morocco

    Mohammed Ahallat

  6. Medical Oncology Department, Mohammed VI University Hospital Center, Oujda, Morocco

    Saïd Afqir

  7. Medical Oncology Department, Hassan II University Hospital Center, Fès, Morocco

    Nawfel Mellas

  8. Oncology and Radiotherapy Department, Mohammed VI University Hospital Center, Marrakech, Morocco

    Mouna Khouchani

Authors
  1. Khaoula El Kinany
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  2. Meimouna Mint Sidi Deoula
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  11. Mouna Khouchani
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Correspondence to Khaoula El Kinany.

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El Kinany, K., Mint Sidi Deoula, M., Hatime, Z. et al. Consumption of modern and traditional Moroccan dairy products and colorectal cancer risk: a large case control study. Eur J Nutr 59, 953–963 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-019-01954-1

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