Vegetarian Diet Info
Breast Cancer & Vegetarian Health
Information on Breast Cancer & Diet for Part-Vegetarians, Ovo-Lacto Vegetarians and Vegans

Vegetarian Diet
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Breast Cancer and Vegetarian Health

No clear evidence exists that vegetarian diets reduce the risk of breast cancer. More research is needed.

Some studies have suggested a casual relationship between dietary fat intake and breast cancer, with populations eating high-fat and high-animal protein diets having the highest breast cancer mortality rates. However, other studies have found little or no relationship between fat intake and breast cancer.

Evidence suggesting vegetarian women are at lower risk than non-vegetarian women is limited as differences in the incidence of breast cancer between vegetarian and non-vegetarian women are inconsistent.

However, among women with a relatively early menopause (48 years of age or younger) meat consumption and risk of breast cancer were linked.

Vegetarian Diet May Lessen Other Breast Cancer Risk Factors

Certain of the known risk factors for breast cancer may be lessened on a vegetarian diet.

• Obesity is less common and age of menarche may be delayed.
• Vegetarian women also have altered sex hormone profiles with lower levels of circulating estrogens.
• Lignans and isoflavonoid phyto-estrogens, present at high levels on vegetarian diets, may affect sex hormone metabolism and so protect against breast cancer.

Sources include:

Sabate, J et al. (1992) Lower height of lacto-ovo vegetarian girls at pre-adolescence: an indicator of physical maturation delay. Jnl Am Dietetic Association v.92 (10) p.1263-64.

Additional research studies by: Adlercreutz (1992); Baghurst (1994); Bennett (1990); Goldin (1982); Hankin (1993); Mills (1988); Rose (1990).

Vegetarian Diet