Causes and Risk Factors

As countries become more westernised, so their risk of breast cancer increases. Some of the most dramatic rises in breast cancer are now being seen in such countries like Japan, China, and India. Women who migrate from a country with low breast cancer rates into a western country often experience a dramatic rise in their risk. One of the reasons for this appears to be western diet. The main culprit is not any particular food item or additive but the high fat and sugar content, the availability of fast foods and snacks, hence the overall high calorie content of a typical western diet. A number of studies have looked for any links between certain foods and breast cancer such as saturated fat, milk, soya, fibre vitamins, antioxidants, and food additives. These studies suggest that an overall healthy diet is most important, as well as being a healthy weight, taking regular exercise and moderating alcohol

We recommend a well-balanced Mediterranean diet to maintain a healthy weight. This type of diet also reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia, diabetes, and other cancers.

A Mediterranean diet is one which is:

• High in mono-unsaturated fat (avocados, nuts, olives, olive oil and rapeseed oil) and low in saturated fat (fatty meats, full fat dairy products, butter, palm oil, coconut oil, many shop bought cakes, biscuits, and pastry).
• Includes a variety of vegetables (aim for 5 portions of vegetables a day) and some fruit.
• Includes some lean protein such as lean meats, chicken, fish, tofu, beans and lentils.
• Includes oily fish such as salmon, trout, and mackerel (2 portions per week)
• Includes wholegrain carbohydrates such as wholemeal bread, brown rice and pasta, potatoes with skins.
• Includes some low-fat dairy products (aim for 3 portions a day) such as semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, low fat yoghurts, and low-fat cheese.
• Limits added sugar in the diet, e.g., cakes, biscuits, some cereals, sugary drinks, sugar, syrups and honey.