A recent research has uncovered a potential link between eating and lifestyle habits in the teen years and a woman's risk of breast cancer as an adult. Teens who eat one egg every day may be somewhat protected from developing breast cancer later in life, according to the research.
A recent research has uncovered a potential link between eating and lifestyle habits in the teen years and a woman's risk of breast cancer as an adult. Teens who eat one egg every day may be somewhat protected from developing breast cancer later in life, according to the research. Adolescent eaters of vegetable fat and fibre were also less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer as adults, while consumption of butter appeared to increase the risk. Early life exposures, including diet, have been implicated in the etiology of breast cancer.In the current study, researchers from the Harvard Medical School in Boston reviewed information collected from 121,700 women. When these women were between 40 and 65 years old, they completed a questionnaire detailing the foods they ate when they were 12 to 18 years old.It was found that women who had, during adolescence, a higher consumption of eggs, vegetable fat and fibre had a lower risk of breast cancer, whereas risk of breast cancer was increased among women who consumed more butter. In addition, teen girls who follow a relatively low-fat diet starting in puberty have lower blood levels of hormones linked to breast cancer in adulthood, while another study has shown that heavy exercise during adolescence may cut later risk of breast cancer by 30%. Also, women who ate one egg each day as teenagers were 18% less likely to develop breast cancer as adults. Adult risk was also reduced among teens who ate the most vegetable oils and fibre, relative to those who reported having eaten the least. The investigators noted that eggs contain many healthy elements such as essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins. In terms of why fibre may protect women against breast cancer, they suggested that the nutrient could lower body levels of oestrogen, a hormone that encourages the growth of the disease.
Although a possible association of elements of adolescent diet with risk of breast cancer is reported, but the findings require confirmation in prospective study.
Breast Cancer Research, February 2003 (5)
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