Total calcium, dairy foods and risk of colorectal cancer: a prospective cohort study of younger US women

Background Although colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence is declining among adults aged >= 65 years, CRC incidence in younger adults has been rising. The protective role of calcium in colorectal carcinogenesis has been well established, but evidence is lacking on whether the association varies by age at diagnosis. We investigated the association between total calcium intake and risk of overall CRC and CRC before age 55 years. Methods In the Nurses' Health Study II (1991-2015), 94 205 women aged 25-42 years at baseline were included in the analysis. Diet was assessed every 4 years through validated food frequency questionnaires. Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for CRC were estimated using the Cox proportional hazards model. Results We documented 349 incident CRC cases during 2 202 604 person-years of follow-up. Higher total calcium intake was associated with a reduced risk of CRC. Compared with those with <750 mg/day of total calcium intake, the HR of CRC was 0.61 (95% CI, 0.38-0.97) for those who consumed >= 1500 mg/day (P for trend = 0.01). The HR per 300 mg/day increase was 0.85 (95% CI, 0.76-0.95). There was a suggestive inverse association between total calcium intake and CRC before age 55 years (HR per 300 mg/day increase, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.75-1.00), suggesting the importance of calcium intake in the younger population. Conclusions In a cohort of younger women, which reflects the birth cohorts, time periods and age ranges paralleling the recent rise in CRC, higher calcium intake was associated with a decreased risk of CRC.