Whole‐grain intake and cancer: An expanded review and meta‐analysis
Abstract
Whole grains are nutrient rich and may protect against chronic disease. To study this, we previously reviewed 14 case-control studies of colorectal, gastric, and endometrial cancers and found consistently lower risk in those with high than in those with low whole-grain intake. Questions remained concerning other cancers, dietary assessment, quantity consumed, confounding, and differential study quality. Here we expand the review to 40 case-control studies of 20 cancers and colon polyps. Odds ratios are < 1 for 46 of 51 mentions of whole-grain intake and for 43 of 45 after exclusion of 6 mentions with design/reporting flaws or low intake. The pooled odds ratio for high vs. low whole-grain intake among the 45 mentions was 0.66 (95% confidence interval = 0.60-0.72); they range from 0.59 to 0.78 across four types of dietary questionnaires. Odds ratios were < 1 in 9 of 10 mentions of studies of colorectal cancers and polyps, 7 of 7 mentions of gastric and 6 of 6 mentions of other digestive tract cancers, 7 of 7 mentions of hormone-related cancers, 4 of 4 mentions of pancreatic cancer, and 10 of 11 mentions of 8 other cancers. Most pooled odds ratios for specific cancers were in the range of 0.5-0.8, notable exceptions being breast (0.86) and prostate (0.90). The pooled odds ratio was similar in studies that adjusted for few and many covariates. Dose-response associations were stronger in studies using food-frequency questionnaires than in more quantitative questionnaires. The case-control evidence is supportive of the hypothesis that whole-grain intake protects against various cancers.
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A previous review of mostly case-control studies reported a lower risk of several individual cancers, mainly of the digestive system, with higher intake of whole grains.
“a previous review of mostly case-control studies reported a lower risk of several individual cancers, mainly of the digestive system, with higher intake of whole grains,3”
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- Authors
- Jacobs, D. R., Marquart, L., Slavin, J., & Kushi, L. H.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- General Mills (United States) (US)
- Venue
- Nutrition and Cancer
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 1998-01
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 85-96
- ISSN
- 0163-5581 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-7914
- OpenAlex
- W2089343966
- Cited by
- 423
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 23
- FWCI
- 4.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Nutrition and Cancer (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Food composition and properties
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Risks and Factors
- Keywords
- whole grain intake, cancer risk, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, endometrial cancer, colonic polyps, digestive tract cancer, hormone-dependent tumors, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, dose-response relationship, food frequency questionnaire, dietary assessment, confounding
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Edible Grain, Diet, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neoplasms
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