Reducing Your Risk of Breast Cancer: How Your Diet Could Affect Your Risk

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Author:

Fran Grossman, R.D., M.S., C.D.E., C.D.N

The Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York

Medically Reviewed On: November 29, 2001

Anybody who follows the media coverage of diet-related issues has probably experienced a great deal of frustration: one day a particular food is reported to have all sorts of beneficial effects, the next day it is linked to some kind of disease. Indeed, all that these apparent contradictions really indicate is that we're only just beginning to understand the connection between diet and health-that huge numbers of questions remain unanswered.

This article gives you an overview of the current dietary recommendations for reducing the risk of breast cancer, and provides insights into areas of future research.

Fat and Excess Calories
Studies about the connection between diet and breast cancer risk have reached no firm conclusions, but have yielded up much food for thought. Some studies show that a connection exists between an increased risk of breast cancer in women with higher body fat. Other studies have shown that the real culprit is higher caloric intake and subsequent fat intake.


The reason? Increased body fat may promote breast cancer by increasing levels of certain hormones, which in turn raises circulating estrogen levels. High estrogen levels promote breast cancer, since many breast cancers are "estrogen-dependent".

Though there is no conclusive evidence thus far, one fact holds fast. Countries with high-fat diets such as the United States have much higher levels of breast cancer than their lowfat counterparts.

Types of Fat
Research has shown that polyunsaturated fats (corn and safflower oils are two examples) and trans-fatty acids (found in margarines and partially hydrogenated foods) have a positive association with increased breast cancer risk.

Studies have also shown that monounsaturated fatty acids (examples are olive oil and canola oil) do not increase -- and may reduce cancer risk. Finally, consuming omega-3-fatty acids (found in fish oils, fish, and flaxseed) may possibly have a protective effect.

Diets that are higher in plant products are usually lower in fat and result in leaner women who have less potential for the synthesizing of estrogen in fat tissue, and therefore may be at lower risk of breast cancer. Emphasizing a vegetarian-type diet may play a key role in reducing the risk of breast cancer. Additionally, vegetarian-style meals help increase several dietary constituents and micronutrients (vitamins and nutrients) that may play a protective role in the incidence of breast cancer, as discussed below.


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