Fats during puberty ups breast cancer risk in late life--study
POSTED September 1, 2010 - 16:22 | POSTED BY Jyoti Pal
Last edited by Silky Chandvani on September 1, 2010 - 17:30
The study, conducted by researchers at Michigan State University's Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Center, found that animals that were fed on a high-fat during puberty were more likely to show cancerous growth during adulthood.
"The pubertal time period is crucial, as this is when the basic framework is created for mammary gland development. What we are seeing from preliminary research in animals is that a high-fat diet during puberty can lead to the production of inflammatory products in the mammary glands of adults, which can promote cancer growth," Physiology professor Sandra Haslam, director of the Michigan State University's Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Center said.
The study
Haslam along with Richard Schwartz, microbiology professor and associate dean in the College of Natural Science used two different mouse models to gauge the effects of high-fat diets during puberty on their breast cancer risk.
Mice who were fed on a high-fat diet were the ones most likely to develop breast cancer in adulthood, researchers found.
Hitherto studies have shown that the progesterone, a key sex hormone, activates the genes that trigger inflammation in the mammary gland. The inflammation is speculated to be vital factor behind the heightened risk of breast cancer.
Taking a high-fat diet during puberty confers a similar effect, researchers found.
"Understanding what genes were turned on by progesterone led us to look at some of the same suspects with high-fat diets. It appears both processes may lead to inflammation in the mammary glands,” Schwartz said.
"Since these inflammatory changes first occur during the crucial time of puberty, a period of intense development and cell division, it can have effects lasting a lifetime," Schwartz added.
Exercise can cut breast cancer risk
In a separate study, researchers have found that just 45 minutes of moderate exercise a day, five days a week, could prevent about 5,500 cases of breast cancer in the UK each year.
Moderate exercise is defined as any type of activity that increases heart beat and makes breathing deeper.
A healthy diet and taking regular exercise lowers the production of cancer-promoting hormones in the body, thereby cutting the risk of developing cancers.
