Diet, nutrition intake, and metabolism in populations at high and low risk for colon cancer. Laboratory analysis of 3-day composite of food samples.

In a study designed to characterize dietary patterns of vegetarian and nonvegetarian populations, chemical analysis of 3-day composite food samples showed lower fat content of food of vegetarians than that of nonvegetarians; pure vegetarians had the lowest. Unsaturated fatty acids were highest in the food of the pure vegetarian group. No significant difference was seen in percentage protein of the food consumed by male vegetarians and nonvegetarians while the food of female vegetarians was of lower protein content than that of the nonvegetarians. The relationship of these findings to the lower incidence of colon cancer in vegetarian populations remains to be determined.