Intake of saturated fats from animal food sources showed the strongest association with pancreatic cancer, increasing the risk of the malignancy by 43% (p < 0.001). Consumption of red meat and dairy products increased the odds of pancreatic cancer by 27% and 19%, respectively.
Although a few reports have identified fat intake as a risk factor for pancreatic cancer, others have failed to show an association, note Dr. Rachael Z. Stolzenberg-Solomon, from the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, and colleagues. To better understand the relationship, if any, the researchers analyzed data from the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study.