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Weight And Breast Cancer Risk
Many studies indicate that being overweight or obese increases breast cancer risk
and recurrence.
Weight gained as an adult increases the likelihood of developing breast cancer after
menopause, and the more weight that's gained, the higher the risk.
Being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast cancer recurrence at any age
and has an adverse effect on the general health and well-being of survivors.
Unfortunately, some of the treatments for breast cancer cause weight gain and
added fatty tissue. Moderate exercise, particularly resistance training, is
recommended to build muscle and prevent weight gain.
Body fat produces substances like estrogen that fuel breast cancer. Fat tissue also
produces insulin, testosterone, and progesterone, which have all been implicated in
promoting the growth of breast tumors. The fat around your middle is most potent at
producing these damaging chemicals, so that women with an "apple" shape are at
greater risk for breast cancer than those with a "pear" shape -- unless they do
something to take off the belly fat.
Losing weight is a challenge, of course. But there are ways to lower your risk even if
you're having trouble taking the pounds off. Exercise can burn off fat, build muscle,
and improve your body chemistry. Eating less meat, sweets, full-fat dairy products,
and refined carbohydrates -- and eating more fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole
grains-- will also lower the level of damaging hormones. Consuming more fiber and
less alcohol will help keep your level of estrogen down. Simply adopting a nutritious
diet and adding physical activity to your daily routine might be enough to take off
some pounds.
The good news is that weight loss -- even a few pounds -- changes your body
chemistry and lowers breast cancer risk and recurrence. And exercise, even if it does
not lead to weight loss, improves your health.
Weight Loss Tips
and recurrence.
Weight gained as an adult increases the likelihood of developing breast cancer after
menopause, and the more weight that's gained, the higher the risk.
Being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast cancer recurrence at any age
and has an adverse effect on the general health and well-being of survivors.
Unfortunately, some of the treatments for breast cancer cause weight gain and
added fatty tissue. Moderate exercise, particularly resistance training, is
recommended to build muscle and prevent weight gain.
Body fat produces substances like estrogen that fuel breast cancer. Fat tissue also
produces insulin, testosterone, and progesterone, which have all been implicated in
promoting the growth of breast tumors. The fat around your middle is most potent at
producing these damaging chemicals, so that women with an "apple" shape are at
greater risk for breast cancer than those with a "pear" shape -- unless they do
something to take off the belly fat.
Losing weight is a challenge, of course. But there are ways to lower your risk even if
you're having trouble taking the pounds off. Exercise can burn off fat, build muscle,
and improve your body chemistry. Eating less meat, sweets, full-fat dairy products,
and refined carbohydrates -- and eating more fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole
grains-- will also lower the level of damaging hormones. Consuming more fiber and
less alcohol will help keep your level of estrogen down. Simply adopting a nutritious
diet and adding physical activity to your daily routine might be enough to take off
some pounds.
The good news is that weight loss -- even a few pounds -- changes your body
chemistry and lowers breast cancer risk and recurrence. And exercise, even if it does
not lead to weight loss, improves your health.
Weight Loss Tips
Nutrition and Physical Activity During and After Cancer Treatment: An American Cancer Society
Guide for Informed Choices
C Doyle, LH Kushi, T Byers, KS Courneya, W. Demark-Wahnefried, B Grant, A McTiernan, CL Rock,
C Thompson, T Gansler, DS Andrews
CA: A Cancer journal for Clinicians; November/December 2006
Adult Weight Change and Risk of Postmenopausal Breast Cancer
AH Eliassen, GA Colditz, B Rosner, WC Willett, SE Hankinson
Journal of the American Medical Association; July 2006
American Cancer Society www.cancer.org
Guide for Informed Choices
C Doyle, LH Kushi, T Byers, KS Courneya, W. Demark-Wahnefried, B Grant, A McTiernan, CL Rock,
C Thompson, T Gansler, DS Andrews
CA: A Cancer journal for Clinicians; November/December 2006
Adult Weight Change and Risk of Postmenopausal Breast Cancer
AH Eliassen, GA Colditz, B Rosner, WC Willett, SE Hankinson
Journal of the American Medical Association; July 2006
American Cancer Society www.cancer.org
