Even a single daily glass of wine or another alcoholic drink raises breast cancer risk, according to a major new report from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF). That same report found that intense activity — running or pedaling fast, for instance — lowers risk for both pre- and post-menopausal breast cancer, and it confirmed that moderate activity lowers post-menopausal breast cancer risk.
Brisk Walking, Alcohol and Breastfeeding
The work pooled scientific research from around the globe on how diet, weight and exercise influence breast cancer risk. Here is what the review of 199 studies — covering 12 million women and 260,000 breast cancer cases — revealed:
- A small daily glass of wine or beer (about 10 grams of alcohol; a standard drink holds roughly 14 grams) lifts premenopausal risk by 5 percent and post-menopausal breast cancer risk by 9 percent.
- The most active premenopausal women cut their breast cancer risk by 17 percent compared with the least active. Among the most active post-menopausal women, risk fell by 10 percent. Overall moderate activity — walking or gardening, for example — was tied to a 13 percent lower breast cancer risk.
- Carrying excess weight or being obese raises the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer.
- Women who breastfeed face a lower breast cancer risk.
The study also notes limited evidence that non-starchy vegetables reduce the risk of estrogen-receptor (ER)-negative breast cancers — a less common but harder-to-treat tumor type. Limited evidence likewise ties dairy, calcium-rich diets and carotenoid-containing foods to lower risk for some breast cancers. Carrots, apricots, spinach and kale are all rich in carotenoids, a group of phytonutrients that appear to offer health benefits. This comprehensive report confirms that you can take steps to lower your breast cancer risk: stay physically active, keep a healthy weight across your lifetime and limit alcohol. A Mediterranean-style diet may help as well. I’m Dr. Michael Hunter.
