Diet-Related Risk Factors for Cervical Cancer: Data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2018

AbstractDiverse dietary constituents, encompassing both macro- and micronutrient intakes, have established connections with various cancers, though their specific roles in cervical cancer remain unclear. This study explores dietary intake correlations among women aged 30 yrs and above diagnosed with cervical cancer (n = 215), contrasted with women without (n = 860). These populations were selected from the 1999–2018 cycle of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The research implemented the univariate analysis and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression to estimate the association of 29 variables with cervical cancer, subsequently identifying the most pertinent variables linked to cervical cancer. Six covariates emerged as significantly associated with cervical cancer in univariate analyses (age, race, fiber, magnesium, caffeine, vitamin C) (p < 0.05). In LASSO regression, with the escalating penalty factor (λ), it was discerned that specific covariates, including age, race, fiber, and Vitamin C, consistently remained in the model. Univariate analysis and logistic LASSO regression findings suggested that diets deficient in fiber and vitamin C were related to cervical cancer. AcknowledgmentsThe authors thank the whole team for constructive discussion.Disclosure StatementThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.Consent for PublicationNot applicable.Ethics Approval and Consent to ParticipateNHANES was approved by the National Center for Health Statistics Research Ethics Review Board, and consent from all participants was documented. All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations of NHANES.Authors' ContributionsAll authors contributed to the study design and execution. L.X. collected the data and wrote the manuscript. Y.T. and P.X. analyzed the data. Y.L., J.P., and H.X. revised the manuscript. F.C.L. reviewed the data and wrote the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.Availability of Data and MaterialsThe datasets analyzed during the current study are available on the website of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of the United States, [https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/index.htm].Additional informationFundingNone.