Risk for Breast Cancer May Increase With High Dairy Fat Consumption

Researchers have released a new study which indicates that breast cancer survivors will have better outcomes on low fat diets. The research showed that consuming at least half a serving of high-fat dairy per day increased the risk of dying from the disease.  What was also important from the research is that it did not show all dairy products created a risk. Low-fat dairy was unrelated to recurrence or survival.

The study was led by Candyce Kroenke, ScD, MPH, from Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California and the results were published online on the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.  The goal of the research was to identify if “dietary fat in dairy is a source of estrogenic hormones,” which might be related to worse breast cancer survival. The study included 1893 women from the Life After Cancer Epidemiology study diagnosed with early-stage invasive breast cancer from 1997 to 2000. A total of 349 women had a recurrence of breast cancer. A total of 372 died during a median follow-up of 11.8 years, with 189 deaths from breast cancer.[1]

What was suggested by the researchers was that “Consuming plant-based milks or nonfat dairy products may a reasonable approach for limiting risk of adverse outcomes,” Patients and survivors should consume rice, soy, or nonfat milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, butter, and other products. The catch would be staying with low fat or no fat options. The chief researcher on the project summarized the study by stating, “to improve survival, breast cancer survivors might shift away from high-fat to lower-fat dairy options, reduce high-fat dairy intake, and shift toward plant-based foods and milks (with little added sugar and salt).”[2]