Journal of School of Public Health and

Background and Aim: To examine the association of diet and the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in Kurdistan province.

Materials and Methods: This was a case-control study including 47 patients with esophageal SCC and 96 healthy controls. Dietary intake was assessed using a valid semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was run to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.

Results: The controls had a significantly higher mean body mass index (25.3 vs. 20.4) and a higher level of education than the case group, while the latter had significantly higher records of tobacco consumption and symptomatic gastresophageal reflux. An independent protective effect was observed for the highest tertile of total fruit consumption (OR: 0.13, CI: 0.04-0.45, p-value=0.001). Within the fruits group, a significant inverse association was observed for bananas, kiwis and oranges (P for trends: 0.03, 0.02 and 0.01, respectively). The effect of total vegetable intake on esophageal SCC was not significant (OR: 0.66, CI: 0.23-1.87), although a reduction in risk was observed in the highest tertile of intake. With regard to other food groups we did not find a statistically significant association.

Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest an inverse association only between fruit consumption and esophageal SCC.

  Background and Aim: There is some evidence that nutrition probably plays a role in the etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS). The present case-control study was conducted in the City of Tehran, Iran with the purpose of finding any possible relations between food groups and MS.

  Materials and Methods: In this case-control hospital-based study conducted in 2011 in the City of Tehran, data were collected on several variables including socio-economic status, life style, and food intakes of 70 MS patients and 140 controls matched for age and gender, through interviews and questionnaires. All the statistical tests were done using the SPSS software version 16. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR).

  Results: After adjusting for confounding variables, it was seen that subjects in the upper tertile of intakes of the fruit group, tomatoes, other vegetables, and liquid oils, were significantly less likely to be suffering from MS disease, the odds ratio being 68% (OR: 0.32 95% CI: 0.13-0.79), 82% (OR: 0.18 95% CI: 0.05-0.65), 61% (OR: 0.39 95% CI: 0.93-0.16), and 94% (OR: 0.06 95% CI: 0.08-0.58), respectively. On the other hand, subjects shown to be significantly less at risk of the disease were those in the upper tertile of the intakes of non-liquid oil [ 1.58 times (OR: 2.58 95% CI: 1.05-6.33) ] and soft drinks [1.87 times (OR: 2.87 95% CI: 1.17-7.02)] (p for trend < 0.05).

  Conclusion: The findings of this study support the probable role of nutrition in preventing multiple sclerosis.

  Background and Aim: The role of nutritional quality of the diet in the development and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) is not yet well understood. The aim of the present study was to determine the association between index of nutritional quality (INQ) and MS.

  Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 70 patients with a definitive diagnosis of MS in the preceding year and 140 frequency-matched hospital controls were selected from among 20-50 year-old patients referred to Sina and Lolagar hospitals in Tehran. The subjects’ dietary intakes were assessed using a valid and reliable semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. INQs for all the nutrients were then calculated for every participant, and logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratios for having MS in relation to every nutrient’s INQ.

  Results: After adjusting for potential confounders, it was seen that subjects who had higher INQs for alpha-linolenic acid, vitamins A, D, K, B₁, B₂, B₅, B₆, folate, B₁₂, and C, and minerals calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and potassium were less likely (p<0.05) to have MS as compared to subjects with lower INQs for these nutrients.

  Conclusion: The findings of the present study show inverse associations between the INQ of many nutrients and risk of having MS. Therefore, it seems that overall improvement of the nutritional quality of the diet might be an appropriate approach for prevention of this disease.