The Association of Empirical Dietary Index for Hyperinsulinemia with the Risk of Cancer and Cancer Mortality: A Meta-analysis of Observational Studies

This meta-analysis aimed to assess the association between the empirical dietary index for hyperinsulinemia (EDIH) and cancer mortality risk. We performed a comprehensive search across the online literature up to November 2022 databases. Then, hazard ratio (H.R.) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were extracted. A total of 14 and seven cohort studies that reported H.R. for the risk of cancer incidence and cancer mortality respectively were included. The pooled H.R. (95% CI) of the association between EDIH and cancer incidence was 1.13 (1.05–1.23) in overall meta-analyses, 1.15 (1.08–1.22) in female subgroups, 1.27 (1.14–1.41) in digestive cancer subgroups, and 1.15 (1.07–1.24) in breast cancer subgroups. Also, the pooled H.R. (95% CI) of the association between EDIH and incidence of cancer mortality was 1.19 (1.13–1.26) in overall meta-analyses, 1.23 (1.13–1.34) in males, 1.18(1.10–1.28) in females, and 1.20 (1.13–1.27) in studies conducted on all cancers as an outcome. Our findings revealed that a higher EDIH was significantly associated with an increased risk of cancer incidence, particularly in females, digestive cancers, and breast cancer. Also, a higher EDIH score was related to a higher risk of cancer mortality overall in both male and female subgroups and with all cancers.