DIFFERENCES IN NUTRITIONAL RISK FACTORS FOR BREAST CANCER AMONG NEW YORK CITY WHITE, HISPANIC, AND BLACK COLLEGE STUDENTS

Breast cancer incidence is significantly lower in Hispanic and black women than in non-Hispanic white women. Since diet has been suggested as an important determinant of breast cancer risk, we compared the food intake of college students sampled from these three racial-ethnic groups in New York City to evaluate the potential role of diet as a determinant of the observed differences in breast cancer risk. A semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire and a general health and demographic questionnaire were administered to 89 Hispanic, 67 black, and 58 white premenopausal female college students randomly selected from among those waiting to register for the fall semester at Lehmann College in Bronx, New York. The food frequency questionnaire was designed to assess usual eating habits over the past year. With regard to specific foods and food groups, Hispanics and blacks consumed more vegetables, citrus fruits, and fish than did whites. The intake of beans among Hispanics was twice that of either whites or blacks. Consumption of carotenoid-containing fruits and vegetables was substantially higher in blacks than in the other two groups, and alcohol consumption was higher in whites compared to blacks and Hispanics. Interestingly, no significant differences were found in total fat or fiber intake, although the sources of fat and fiber differed significantly among the three groups. The results suggest that the variation in risk by racial-ethnic background may, in part, be a reflection of protective agents present in greater amounts in the diets of Hispanics (beans) and blacks (fruits and vegetables) than of whites.