United States: Despite the fact that diet is one of the factors that can help lower women’s risks of developing this disease, the majority of US women did not list diet as one of the ways to prevent breast cancer, as stated in the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).
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While only 28 percent of the women who filled in the 15-minute web-based questionnaire in July identified food as a means of reducing their risks, 56 percent identified at least one form of screening, including mammography.
According to Dr. Kristi Funk, a breast cancer surgeon and prevention expert, “It’s clear that millions of women have yet to hear the lifesaving message that what they eat and drink strongly influences their chances of developing breast cancer,” as newsweek.com reported.
“Science shows nearly 50 percent of cases are preventable through diet and lifestyle, at least in theory, and in my opinion, 80 to 90 percent of cases could be avoided,” as she continued.
Little progress in spreading awareness
However, as evidenced in the survey conducted concerning the general populace, it has been 30 years since breast cancer awareness started, and the information dissemination is still limited.
The telephone survey was conducted in 1995 on a sample of 510 women, 23 percent of whom felt that diet could be a means of prevention, it being only five percent lower than felt last month.
According to Dr. Neal Barnard, president of the PCRM, “Public education programs on breast cancer have focused on mammograms, which play a vital role but are not enough. It is essential to empower people with steps they can take to protect themselves, and a healthy diet is at the top of the list.”
When the online survey respondents were given questions about which foods there is a likelihood that may contribute to the occurrence of breast cancer, 61 percent of the respondents were able to identify at least one food or a food practice that may be of help in avoiding breast cancer.
The majority said that either a ‘lot of extra weight’ or ‘eating too many processed meats’ can cause breast cancer. Vegetables were reported by 23 percent of women, while 16 percent of women reported fruit.
As per a registered dietitian Stephanie McBurnett, “Soy foods such as tofu, tempeh, edamame, and soy milk are high in isoflavones which have been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer,” as newsweek.com reported.
He also said, “Also, the phytoestrogens or plant estrogens in soy foods tend to reduce levels of human estrogen in the body, which can lead to increased breast cancer risk.”
However, a recent research conducted by the PCRM only revealed that seventeen percent of the women had the information that soy had the effect of lowering the risk of breast cancer, while 16 percent considered that soy had the impact of raising the likelihood of breast cancer.
Twenty-four percent of the respondents were of the opinion that an increase in the consumption level of dairy products could lead to breast cancer.
A cup of cow’s milk daily could be linked with a fifty or even a hundred percent rise in breast cancer risk; two to three cups, with an eighty percent likelihood.
When it came to prevention, only two percent of women said they could avoid breast cancer by following a plant-based/vegetarian diet.