A High-Fat Diet Increases Risk of Breast Cancer

Women who eat diets high in fat and saturated fat increase their risk of developing breast cancer, according to a study published by the National Cancer Institute.

Researchers looked at breast cancer subtypes defined by estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor 2 receptor (HER2) using data collected from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Oxford (EPIC) study.

Diet records from 337,327 women over a period of 11.5 years were analyzed for fat content. The women who consumed the most fat had a 20 percent increased risk for ER-positive and PR-positive breast cancer subtypes, and women consuming the most saturated fat faced a 28 percent increased risk for the same breast cancer subtypes, compared with those who consumed the least. Risk of developing HER2-negative breast cancer was 20 percent higher among women consuming the most saturated fat.