ConexiantHigh Poultry Intake May Be Linked to GI Cancer Mortality

This prospective cohort study from southern Italy followed nearly 5,000 adults over 16 years, demonstrating robust longitudinal methodology with comprehensive mortality tracking. The research provides high-quality observational evidence linking dietary poultry consumption patterns to gastrointestinal cancer mortality outcomes, with sex-specific risk stratification and multivariable adjustment for major confounding factors.

⚕️Key Clinical Considerations⚕️

• Men consuming >300g poultry weekly showed subdistribution hazard ratio of 2.61 (95% CI: 1.31–5.19) for GI cancer mortality, indicating statistically significant 161% increased risk.
• Absolute risk differences reveal 8% probability of GI cancer death by age 83 in high-intake men versus 3% in low-intake groups, representing clinically meaningful population-level impact.
• Study methodology included 16-year follow-up with 1,028 deaths and 108 GI cancer deaths, providing adequate statistical power for primary endpoints.
• Confounding adjustment included smoking, diabetes, hypertension, Mediterranean diet adherence, and metabolic parameters, strengthening causal inference validity.
• Notable study limitations include absence of cooking method assessment, processed versus fresh poultry distinction, and physical activity data integration.

🎯 Clinical Practice Impact 🎯

• Patient Communication: Clinicians should discuss these findings with male patients consuming high poultry quantities, emphasizing the observational nature while acknowledging the substantial risk elevation. This conversation becomes particularly relevant during routine preventive care visits and cancer risk counseling sessions.
• Practice Integration: Consider incorporating specific dietary assessment questions about weekly poultry consumption patterns into routine clinical encounters, particularly for male patients with existing GI cancer risk factors or family history.
• Risk Management: The sex-specific findings warrant targeted counseling approaches, with enhanced attention to male patients’ protein source diversification and overall dietary pattern optimization within Mediterranean diet frameworks.
• Action Items: Recommend dietary consultations for men exceeding 300g weekly poultry intake, emphasizing protein source variety rather than complete elimination, while monitoring for additional GI cancer risk factors during longitudinal care.

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