Marilyn H. Ford

Tobacco, alcohol, coffee, and caffeine as risk factors for colon cancer in a low-risk population.

We used data from a population-based case-control study to examine how use of tobacco products and consumption of alcohol, coffee, and caffeine relate to colon cancer in Utah. We hypothesized that low use of these substances is one factor contributing to the low colon cancer incidence in Utah and could help explain the low risk associated for colon cancer with being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In females, we observed little or no increase in risk of colon cancer from smokingcigarettes or from consumption of alcohol, caffeine, or coffee. Males who used pipes, however, experienced an increased risk for colon cancer (OR = 4.1, 95% CI = 1.3–12.3). Risk for colon cancer associated with alcohol use was greatly attenuated after adjusting for caffeine and pipe use in males; males who consumed-higher levels of caffeine during the two to three years prior to the interview were at higher risk than males who consumed low levels of caffeine (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.0–4.2); similar associations were observed for coffee consumption. Nonuse of these substances could explain the low colon cancer incidence rates observed in members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Utah males.

Validity of cigarette smoking habits in three epidemiologic studies in Utah

Utah has lower incidence and mortality for many smoking-related forms of cancer and heart disease. It is an important epidemiologic question to assess whether the population attributable risk associated with cigarette smoking in this low-risk population is biased from under-reporting because of societal pressures not to smoke. To answer this question, we compared reported cigarette use to serum cotinine values in three different epidemiologic study designs. Included in these analyses were data from men interviewed for a cross-sectional study of dietary intake and hormones, women interviewed as a part of a case-control study of cervical cancer, and men interviewed in conjunction with a cardiovascular disease and hypertension family follow-up study. Cross-sectional study participants reported accurate cigarette usage 93.8% of the time; case-control participants accurately reported cigarette use 98.5% of the time; participants interviewed in the family cohort study correctly reported usage 82.8% of the time. Most inaccurate reporting of smoking was by exsmokers being followed for a disease known to be linked to smoking. The low attributable risk of smoking related to diseases in Utah is not from underreporting of cigarette smoking, and makes Utah an ideal population to examine other risk factors for diseases where smoking increases risk.

Blood pressure reactivity in adult male twins.

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine possible genetic contributions to cardiovascular reactivity by contrasting patterns of association in 82 monozygotic (MZ) and 88 dizygotic (DZ) adult male twin pairs (age range = 21 to 61 years, M = 35 years). Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) were recorded during baseline and during a mental arithmetic task (i.e., serial subtraction). The task produced significant elevations in all three cardiovascular measures (i.e., 10 mmHg SBP, 8 mmHg DBP, and 6 bpm HR, respectively). Levels of SBP and DBP reactivity were significantly correlated in MZ pairs but not in DZ pairs. Statistical tests suggest a heritability estimate of about 50% that was marginally significantly for SBP and DBP changes during the task. There was no indication of a genetic influence on HR reactivity. Resting level and static task period measures of SBP, DBP, and HR demonstrated statistically significant heritability estimates of 60% to 80%.

Cynical hostility in adult male twins

&NA; The heritability of hostility as measured by the Cook and Medley Ho scale was assessed in an adult male sample of 60 monozygotic and 61 dizygotic twin pairs. For the total Ho scale, as well as its health predictive component, the results were consistent with a moderate genetic effect. Results are discussed in terms of genetic and environmental influences on the development of this trait, and possible genetic contributions to the association between hostility and subsequent health.