Dietary and Environmental Determinants of Oesophageal Cancer in Arsi Zone, Oromia, Central Ethiopia: A Case–Control Study

PURPOSE: Oesophageal cancer is ranked 5th of all types of malignancies in Ethiopia and highly prevalent in the Arsi Zone. However, no study was conducted to elucidate the dietary and environmental determinants of oesophageal cancer in the Arsi Zone. METHODS: A matched case-control study was conducted from June 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020. A total of 104 cases and 208 controls were interviewed. Data were collected using food frequency questionnaires (structured questionnaires). Binary and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to check the association between independent and dependent variables. Adjusted odds ratios and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals were estimated for the strength of association. Statistical significance was declared at a P-value of <0.05. RESULTS: In multivariable logistic regression, drinking very hot coffee (AOR=5.1,[95% CI: (1.95, 13.71), drinking large volume of coffee (AOR=4.9, [95% CI: (2.03, 12.17), very hot porridge (AOR= 3.1,[95% CI: (1.38,7.03) and eating porridge fast (AOR=7.0, [95% CI: (2.48, 20.14), low intake of dairy products (AOR=6.0, [95% CI: (2.29, 15.95), cooking food in sleeping room (AOR=3.7, [95% CI: (1.22, 11.39), exposure to x-ray (AOR=9.4,[95% CI: (3.94, 22.82), nonalcohol homemade drinks (AOR=5.4,[95% CI: (1.97, 15.14), use of chemical containers (AOR=3.4, [95% CI: (1.48, 8.23) were determinants of oesophageal cancer. CONCLUSION: Coffee temperature, coffee drinking volume, porridge consumption temperature, porridge consumption speed, dairy products intake patterns, food cooking place, x-ray exposure, nonalcohol homemade drink, and use of chemical containers were independent determinants of the increased risk of oesophageal cancer in the study community.