The diet link to increased breast cancer risk

Increased risk to breast cancer, the most common cancer among women, is now being linked to several diet and lifestyle factors. It has been reported that nearly 40 per cent of all cancer incidence in men and 60 per cent in women is diet related.

This is besides the well-established risk factors such as age at menarche, parity (number of children), age at birth and breastfeeding.

In fact, age at menarche too is strongly determined by dietary factors: Restricted dietary intake during childhood and adolescence delays menarche while high caloric intake and obesity may result in early menarche.

Recent research has identified many constituents in food which cause, promote and protect from breast cancer. While there are several dietary causes for breast cancer, other important risk factors include obesity, alcohol and the lack of physical activity.

The impact of obesity and lack of physical activity as independent risk factors in causing and promoting breast cancer has only recently been established. Obesity increases breast cancer risk in post-menopausal women by about 50 per cent.

Not only high body mass index (BMI), but also central obesity - high waist circumference - increases the risk of developing breast cancer in pre-menopausal women.

Source: Indian Express