Diet High in Saturated Fat may Increase Risk of Breast Cancer

A diet high in fat can have a negative impact on our health, particularly when it comes to an increased risk of cancer. A recent study conducted by researchers from the Fondazione IRCCS National Cancer Institute in Milan, Italy, suggests that women who consume a diet heavy in saturated fats could dramatically increase their risk for developing breast cancer.

"In our study we confirm that saturated fat intake was positively associated with breast cancer risk," said lead study author Sabina Sieri from the institute, via Reuters Health. "Saturated fatty acids intake should be low as possible within the context of a nutritionally adequate diet."

The study was based on a sample of 337,000 women from 10 European countries. All participants were required to fill out questionnaires regarding their diet and lifestyle, and none of the participants were assigned to follow a certain diet other than their own. They were then followed for an average of 11 to 12 years. During this time, 10,000 of the women were diagnosed with breast cancer.

Findings showed that women with diets high in saturated fat were 28 percent more likely to develop breast tumors that had receptors for estrogen and progesterone than those with diets low in saturated fat. However, the researchers note that the chance of developing breast tumors without these receptors was not linked to dietary fat.

Findings also showed that a diet high in saturated fat revealed a strong correlation to human epidermal growth factor (HER2) negative breast cancer and determining how fast a tumor would grow. However, it was not a factor for HER2 positive disease.

"In my opinion, the bottom line is that if the association with fat and breast cancer exists, it's fairly small (and) it's probably limited to certain subtypes," said Dr. Michelle Holmes of the Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, via Reuters Health, who was not involved in the study.

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.