UK

Diet tips could help teens reduce breast cancer risk

Greater consumption of apple, banana, and grapes during adolescence, as well as oranges and kale during early adulthood, is significantly associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. 
Greater consumption of apple, banana, and grapes during adolescence, as well as oranges and kale during early adulthood, is significantly associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer.  Greater consumption of apple, banana, and grapes during adolescence, as well as oranges and kale during early adulthood, is significantly associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. 

EATING more apple, orange, banana, grapes and kale could help teenagers and young women reduce the risk of breast cancer in later life, a new study suggests.

The study, published in The BMJ, saw a team of US researchers track 90,000 nurses for over 20 years who reported their diet in early adulthood, half of whom also recalled their usual diet during adolescence.

During follow up there were around 3,200 cases of breast cancer noted. Of these, 1,347 cases were among women who completed a questionnaire about their diet when they were aged between 13 and 18.

The researchers found that high fruit consumption during adolescence was associated with a 25% lower risk of breast cancer diagnosed in middle age.

Greater consumption of apple, banana, and grapes during adolescence, as well as oranges and kale during early adulthood, was significantly associated with a reduced risk of the disease, they said.

"Our findings suggest that high intake of fruit during adolescence could be associated with a lower risk of breast cancer," the authors concluded.

"We noted that 2.9 servings/day fruit consumption during adolescence compared with 0.5 serving/day was associated with about a 25% lower risk of breast cancer.

"If this apparent risk reduction is applied to lifetime risk of breast cancer, the absolute number of breast cancers that could potentially be prevented by higher intake of fruits would be substantial."

A separate study, also published in The BMJ, found that increasing alcohol intake in later life is associated with a higher risk of breast cancer.

The team of researchers tracked the health of nearly 22,000 postmenopausal women in Denmark.

They found that, compared with women with a stable intake of alcohol, women who increased their alcohol intake by two drinks per day during five years of follow-up had an increased risk of breast cancer of about 30% but a decrease in risk of ischaemic heart disease of about 20%.

The authors conclude: "We found that an increased alcohol intake over a five year period resulted in a higher risk of breast cancer and a lower risk of coronary heart disease among postmenopausal women, compared with a stable alcohol intake.

"Results support the hypotheses that alcohol is associated with breast cancer and coronary heart disease in opposite directions."

In an editorial linked to the two papers, experts from Oxford University wrote: "The relation between diet and breast cancer risk has been studied for over 40 years. The only unequivocal findings are that risk is increased by alcohol (risk increases by about 10% for each additional daily drink) and by obesity (risk in obese postmenopausal women is about 50% higher than in thin postmenopausal women).

"Much more evidence is needed before we can draw conclusions on the reported protective association between adolescent fruit intake and breast cancer risk, but these foods have well known beneficial effects on health, and efforts should continue to increase intake of both fruit and vegetables at all ages."

Commenting on the studies, Catherine Priestley, clinical nurse specialist at the charity Breast Cancer Care, said: "While this US study offers a new take on healthy eating, a link between eating specific fruits during teenage years to help lower breast cancer risk is a long way from being fact.

"But we can't ignore that obesity and alcohol are known risk factors for breast cancer. And the study into drinking habits reinforces that consuming more alcohol, whatever your age, will increase your risk of the disease.

"So limiting alcohol intake, eating a balanced diet, taking regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can all help to reduce your risk of breast cancer.

"Further research will improve our understanding of this complex disease and allow us to learn even more about breast cancer risk."