Female Breast Cancer
How what you eat and how active you are may affect your breast cancer risk

 

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in women. Per the American Cancer Society, there was an estimated 268,670 new cases in 2018. Evidence now shows that an estimated 40% of cancer cases are preventable through diet, physical activity, maintaining a healthy body weight, and other health-related choices.

The Continuous Update Project (CUP) – the world’s largest source of scientific research on cancer prevention and survivorship through diet, nutrition and physical activity – analyzed global research on how certain lifestyle factors affect the risk of developing breast cancer. Continue reading to learn what you can do via diet and exercise to lower your risk of breast cancer.

 

For Premenopausal Breast Cancer

There is strong evidence that:

• undertaking vigorous physical activity (i.e. running and cycling) DECREASES the risk of premenopausal breast cancer
• being overweight or obese in young adulthood (between the ages of about 18 and 30 years) DECREASES the risk of premenopausal breast cancer
• being overweight or obese in adulthood before the menopause DECREASES the risk of premenopausal breast cancer
• consuming alcoholic drinks INCREASES the risk of premenopausal breast cancer

There is some evidence that:

• consuming non-starchy vegetables might decrease the risk of estrogen-receptor-negative (ER–) breast cancer (unspecified)
• consuming foods containing carotenoids might decrease the risk of breast cancer. Carotenoids are plant pigments responsible for giving fruits and veggies their bright red, yellow and orange colors.
• consuming dairy products might decrease the risk of premenopausal breast cancer
• diets high in calcium might decrease the risk of premenopausal breast cancer
• being physically active might decrease the risk of premenopausal breast cancer

 

For Post-Menopausal Breast Cancer

 

There is strong evidence that:

• being physically active DECREASES the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer
• being overweight or obese in young adulthood (between the ages of about 18 and 30 years) DECREASES the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer
• being overweight or obese throughout adulthood INCREASES the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer
• greater weight gain in adulthood INCREASES the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer
• consuming alcoholic drinks INCREASES the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer

There is limited evidence that:

• consuming non-starchy vegetables might decrease the risk of estrogen-receptor-negative (ER–) breast cancer
• consuming foods containing carotenoids might decrease the risk of breast cancer
• consuming diets high in calcium might decrease the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer