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Difference in Gastrointestinal Cancer Risk and Mortality by Dietary Pattern Analysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abebe Z, Wassie MM, Mekonnen TC, Reynolds AC, Melaku YA

Nutrition reviews, 2025

22 participants · 6 citations

Abstract

Context: Several studies have demonstrated that dietary patterns identified by a posteriori and hybrid methods are associated with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer risk and mortality. These studies applied different methods for analyzing dietary data and reported inconsistent findings.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis were aimed to determine the association between dietary patterns, derived using principal component analysis (PCA) and reduced rank regression (RRR), and GI cancer risk and GI cancer-caused mortality.

Data source: Articles published up to June 2023 in English were eligible for inclusion. The Medline, SCOPUS, Cochrane Library, CINHAL, PsycINFO, ProQuest, and Web of Sciences databases were used to identify prospective studies. The Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocol 2020 was used to report results.

Data extraction: A total of 28 studies were eligible for inclusion. Varied approaches to deriving dietary patterns were used, including PCA (n = 22), RRR (n = 2), combined PCA and RRR (n = 1), cluster analysis (CA; n = 2) and combined PCA and CA (n = 1).

Data analysis: Two dietary patterns, "healthy" and "unhealthy," were derived using PCA and RRR. The healthy dietary pattern was characterized by a higher intake of fruits, whole grains, legumes, vegetables, milk, and other dairy products, whereas the unhealthy dietary pattern was characterized by a higher intake of red and processed meat, alcohol, and both refined…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid. Reported size: 22 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

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