The AP (3/26) reports that researchers at a European breast cancer conference Thursday said that "up to a third of breast cancer cases in Western countries could be avoided if women ate less and exercised more." Researchers noted that "better treatments, early diagnosis and mammogram screenings have dramatically slowed the disease," adding that "the focus should now shift to changing behaviors like diet and physical activity."
Better diet may lead to decreased breast cancer risk. Reuters (3/26, Peeples) reports that an analysis of 18 studies enrolling more than 400,000 people found that consuming less alcohol and more whole grains and vegetables could help women cut their chances of developing breast cancer. Researchers in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition wrote that they saw an 11% lower breast cancer risk for women with the best diets.
