Adherence to Mediterranean diet: A comparison of patients with head and neck cancer and healthy population

Background and objective: The traditional Mediterranean diet (MD) is associated to a lower risk of suffering multiple tumors. However, few studies have analyzed the relationship between MD and the risk of developing head and neck cancer (HNC). A case-control study comparing adherence to MD was conducted in patients diagnosed with HNC and healthy population. Patients and methods: The level of adherence to MD was assessed using the 14-item MEDAS (Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener) questionnaire, used in the PREDIMED study, in patients diagnosed with HNC at 12 de Octubre Hospital in Madrid (cases) and in healthy subjects enrolled in a nearby primary health care center (controls). Adherence was stratified based on the score as low (≤ 7 points), medium (8-9 points), and high (≥ 10 points). The odds ratio (OR) for developing HNC was estimated based on different factors. Results: A sample of 168 subjects (100 controls and 68 cases) was analyzed. Smoking (OR, 2.98 [95% CI: 1.44-6.12]; P =.003) and alcohol consumption (OR, 2.72 [95% CI: 1.39-5.33], P =.003) were strongly associated to HNC. However, medium-high adherence to MD was associated to a lower risk of developing HNC (OR, 0.48 [95% CI: 0.20-1.07], P =.052). Conclusions: Consistent medium-high adherence to MD contributes to decrease the risk of developing HNC.