SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC INDICES AND FREQUENCY OF CONSUMPTION OF VEGETABLES AND RED MEAT IN NIGERIAN WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER

Abstract

Aim: Breast cancer is a chronic disease with diverse risk factors. Studies on the involvement of socio-demography and diet in breast cancer aetiology are inconclusive. The contribution of socio-demography and selected diets to breast carcinogenesis was thus, determined in this study. Methods: A comparative cross-sectional design was used among 169 non-pregnant women. This comprised 85 drug naive women with breast cancer and 84 apparently healthy women without breast cancer (controls). The cases and controls were matched for age and menstrual status. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on socio-demography, diet and reproductive history. Data were analysed using Chi-square and binary logistic regression. P-values less than 0.05 were considered as statistically significant Results: Daily consumers of red meat were more likely to have breast cancer compared with weekly consumers (OR=27.728, 95% CI, 8.874-86.638). Daily and weekly consumers of vegetable were less likely to have breast cancer compared with occasional consumers (OR=0.263, 95% CI, 0.081-0.859; OR=0.268, 95% CI, 0.081-0.885, respectively). Moreover, weekly consumers of dairy products were less likely to have breast cancer compared with non consumers (OR= 0.080, 95% CI, 0.020-0.324). Conclusion: Red meat consumption was a predictor of breast cancer. However, regular consumption of vegetable, fruits and dairy products protect against breast cancer.