Study links breast cancer to Western diet

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 

Avocado Salad Roll. A diet high in vegetables and low in meat and dairy is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer.

Results published on Tuesday which are part of the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study add to the evidence about an epidemiological link between cancer and a diet high in meat, dairy, and other common Western foods (such as candy).

The study compared post-menopausal women living in Shanghai who ate a "meat-sweet" diet high in meat, dairy, and sweets to those who ate a diet high in vegetables and soy. The women on the "meat-sweet" diet were 60 percent more likely to develop breast cancer, and 90 percent more likely to develop a particular type of breast cancer which is sensitive to hormones because it is estrogen-receptor positive.

The "meat-sweet" diet included beef, lamb, pork, shrimp, saltwater fish, poultry, organ meats, dairy, candy, desserts, and bread. The "vegetable-soy" diet included tofu, cauliflower, beans, bean sprouts, and green leafy vegetables, but not much meat.

Sources

• Will Dunham. "Western diet ups breast cancer risk among Chinese" — Reuters, July 10, 2007
• "Western diet linked to breast cancer in Asian women" — CBC News, July 10, 2007

Cui X, Dai Q, Tseng M, Shu XO, Gao YT, Zheng W. Dietary Patterns and Breast Cancer Risk in the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 2007; 16 (7): 1443-8. PubMed