Dietary fat intake and liver cancer incidence: A population‐based cohort study in Chinese men

To date, limited studies have focused on the association between dietary fat and liver cancer risk, especially in China. Our study aims to evaluate the association between dietary fat intake and liver cancer incidence risk in men. Dietary fat intake was obtained through a validated food frequency questionnaire in a Chinese prospective cohort. The Cox regression model was utilized to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). After exclusion, 59 998 recruitments were finally analyzed with a total follow‐up time of 714 339 person‐years, 431 incident liver cancer cases were newly identified among them. The adjusted HRs (95% CIs) for the highest vs lowest quartile of total fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat (MUFA), and polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) were 1.33 (1.01‐1.75), 1.50 (1.13‐1.97), 1.26 (0.96‐1.65), and 1.41 (1.07‐1.86), and the corresponding P‐trend values were .008, .005, .034, and .005, respectively. In the secondary analysis among participants tested for hepatitis B virus, we found that higher intakes of saturated fat and PUFA were also associated with increased liver cancer risks. Besides, high risks of per standard deviation alterations of the total fat, saturated fat and MUFA were detected in liver cancer, and these results were similar to those concluded from the full‐cohort analysis. In conclusion, dietary intakes of total fat, saturated fat, PUFA, and probably MUFA might increase liver cancer risks. Our study provides suggestive advice to public administration on dietary suggestions, and related measures taken from managing dietary fat intake might reduce liver cancer incidence. What's new? There is still limited evidence on the association between dietary fat and liver cancer risk, especially in China. This study based on primary liver cancer data from a prospective Chinese cohort found that dietary intakes of total, saturated, polyunsaturated, and probably monounsaturated fat might be associated with higher risks of liver cancer. Secondary analyses among participants who were tested for hepatitis B virus and sensitivity analyses among participants who were followed up for more than two years or did not have type 2 diabetes mellitus at baseline showed similar results. Managing dietary fat intake might reduce liver cancer incidence.