1. Table 1 Correlation coefficient (r) from Pearson correlation analysis between cumulative salted fish consumption per capita (per kg) and age-standardized incidence and mortality rates in Hong Kong, 1978-2008. The cumulative salted fish consumption up to the specified time point was estimated by aggregating annual salted fish consumption per capita estimates in all years prior to that year up to 1978.. (a) Cumulative salted fish consumption per capita was estimated from FAO commodity statistics on fish, dried, salted or smoked. (b) Cumulative salted fish consumption per capita was estimated from Hong Kong trade statistics on dried fish, whether or not salted but not smoked. Year of cumulative salted fish consumption per capita Age-standardized incidence rate (r) (r) Age-standardized mortality rates (r) (r) MaleFemaleMaleFemale 00.8970.9090.8740.904 50.9190.8830.9530.916 100.9270.8860.9520.925 150.9620.9290.9400.914 200.9370.9130.9370.874 All P<0.01 (a) FAO commodity statistics Year of cumulative salted fish consumption per capita Age-standardized incidence rate (r) (r) Age-standardized mortality rate (r) (r) MaleFemaleMaleFemale 00.7890.7970.7230.719 50.8410.8390.8350.762 100.8600.8370.8800.796 150.9360.9240.9330.851 20 0.8740.8630.9290.799 (b) Hong Kong trade statistics All P<0.01

2. Table 2 Correlation coefficient (r) from Pearson correlation analysis between cumulative cigarette consumption per capita (per stick) and age-standardized incidence and mortality rates in Hong Kong. Year of cumulative cigarette consumption per capita Age-standardized incidence rate (r) (r) Age-standardized mortality rates (r) (r) MaleFemaleMaleFemale 00.7490.7730.7210.783 50.7460.6690.7470.651 10 0.7120.6570.7720.766 150.8200.7590.8600.900 200.9530.9160.8880.923 All P<0.01

3. Table 3 Correlation coefficient (r) from Pearson correlation analysis between cumulative fresh vegetable consumption per capita (per kg) and age-standardized incidence and mortality rates in Hong Kong. Year of cumulative fresh vegetable consumption per capita Age-standardized incidence rate (r) (r) Age-standardized mortality rates (r) (r) MaleFemaleMaleFemale 0-0.937-0.939-0.981-0.961 5-0.978-0.974-0.972-0.954 10 -0.985-0.966 -0.914 15-0.976-0.958-0.927-0.856 20-0.935-0.906-0.918-0.829 All P<0.01

4. Table 4 Beta (β) regression coefficient from multivariate regression analysis of NPC age- standardized incidence and mortality rates on cumulative salted fish (per kg), cigarette (per stick) and fresh vegetable consumption (per kg). Cumulative salted fish consumption per capita was estimated from FAO commodity statistics on fish, dried, salted or smoked. Cumulative Window (Years) Independent Variable Age-standardized incidence rateAge-standardized mortality rates Male (β)Female (β)Male (β)Female (β) 0Salted fish3.0151.217-1.473-0.264 Smoking0.002 0.001* Fresh vegetables-0.298*-0.135*-0.212*-0.072* 5 Salted fish -0.874-0.4690.5200.313 Smoking 0.002*0.00050.000070.0003 Fresh vegetables -0.083*-0.042*-0.024*-0.009* 10 Salted fish-0.146-0.2280.2830.234 Smoking0.0001 0.00004-0.00008 Fresh vegetables-0.039*-0.021*-0.011*-0.002 15 Salted fish1.5560.7570.1930.513 Smoking-0.001 0.0001-0.0003 Fresh vegetables-0.001-0.002-0.0040.006 20 Salted fish-1.842-0.3651.1520.165 Smoking0.002*0.001-0.0010.0002 Fresh vegetables-0.036-0.0100.0130.004 * Significant at 0.01 level