Could “Eating Behavior” be a novel lifestyle factor that modulates risk of gastrointestinal cancers?

Abstract

Lifestyle factors are important risk modulators of chronic diseases such as gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. The role of diet, specifically, has been studied for decades, and our knowledge on its impact continues to grow. For instance, it is well established that consumption of diets high in red and preserved meat and low in fruits and vegetables increases the risk of developing a variety of digestive system cancers. However, while different types of diets have been widely investigated in epidemiological studies regarding the risk of GI cancers, the effects of timing and patterns of eating have not yet been thoroughly explored.Zhang et al. recently published a study (1) in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition exploring the potential association between unrestrained eating behavior and the development of digestive system cancers. They analyzed data from the Nurses' Health Study, a large prospective cohort study with bi-and quadrennial questionnaire responses from US female nurses regarding medical history, diet, physical activity, and more. "Unrestrained eating behavior" was defined if subjects stated that they either ate anything at any time or did not pay a great deal of attention to changes in their figure. Outcomes included a variety of digestive system cancers. Patients were followed until report of any cancer diagnosis, follow-up completion or loss, or death.The authors found that those who endorsed unrestrained eating behavior had a significantly increased risk of overall digestive system cancer. Upon further analysis by individual types of GI tract cancers, unrestrained eating led to an