Nonfat milk linked to prostate cancer | Health | Reuters

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http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSHAR26781420080102

NEW YORK

(Reuters Health) - The amount of calcium and vitamin D in the diet appears to

have little or no impact on the risk of prostate cancer, but the consumption of

low-fat or nonfat milk may increase the risk of the malignancy, according to

the results of two studies published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Dietary calcium and dairy products have been thought to

increase the risk of prostate cancer by affecting vitamin D metabolism. Data

from several prospective studies have supported an association, but many other

studies have failed to establish a link.

To explore this topic further, Dr. Song-Yi Park, from the University of Hawaii

in Honolulu,

and colleagues, analyzed data from subjects enrolled in the Multiethnic Cohort

Study. This study, conducted between 1993 and 2002, included adults between 45

and 75 years old, were primarily from five different ethnic or racial groups,

and lived in California or Hawaii.

A total of 82,483 men from the study completed a quantitative

food frequency questionnaire and various factors, such as weight, smoking

status, and education levels were also noted, Park's group said.

During an average follow-up period of 8 years, 4,404 men

developed prostate cancer. There was no evidence that calcium or vitamin D from

any source increased the risk of prostate cancer. This held true across all

racial and ethnic groups.