This Kind of Diet May Lower the Risk of Dying from Breast Cancer

We are what we eat, the old cliché goes, and there’s plenty of evidence to support it: eating healthy foods really can lead to a healthier life. But can food actually lower your risk of dying from a disease like cancer? In a new study published in JAMA Oncology, researchers find some intriguing evidence that diet may indeed lower the risk of dying from cancer. Dr. Rowan Chlebowski, research professor at the City of Hope National Medical Center, and his colleagues analyzed data from more than 48,000 women enrolled in the ongoing Women’s Health Initiative, a large national study at 40 centers across the U.S. All of the women were cancer-free at the start of the study, and nearly 20,000 were randomly assigned to change their diet and lower their fat intake to about 20% of their daily calories (the average American eats about 30% of their daily calories from fat). They were also encouraged to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The other women weren’t given instructions to change their diet but were educated about a good nutrition and a healthy diet. After 8.5 years of follow up, in which the researchers tracked the number of cancers that were diagnosed and the causes of death for women who died, the scientists found that among women diagnosed with breast cancer, those in the low-fat diet group lowered their risk of dying from the disease by 22%, compared to women in the regular diet group. The low-fat group also had a 24% lower risk of dying ...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Cancer Diet/Nutrition healthytime Source Type: news