High-Fiber, Low-Fat Diet May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

MALMÖ, Sweden--Following a diet high in fiber and low in fat may reduce womens risk of developing postmenopausal breast cancer, according to Swedish researchers (Br J Cancer, 90, 1:122-7, 2004) (www.nature.com/bjc). The study involved 11,726 postmenopausal women (a sub-sample of women in the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort study) free of breast cancer at the start of the study. During the mean follow-up period of 7.6 years, 342 subjects had developed breast cancer. Data was obtained through diet history interviews, questionnaires, anthropometrical measurements, and national and regional cancer registries.

Researchers found high-fiber intake reduced the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, and the combination of a high-fiber, low-fat diet reduced the risk even more. Researchers found no significant association between intake of various plant-based foods and breast cancer risk.