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2021: High Glycemic: Associated with Increased Overall Cancer Risk & Breast Cancer Risk

Science News, presented by the Glycemic Research Institute®

Finding: Low Glycemic Index Foods are Associated with Lower Overall Cancer Risk & Breast Cancer Risk (especially in Post Menopausal women).

Can a High-Carbohydrate Diet Increase the Risk for Breast Cancer? Caroline Helwick

“A growing body of evidence is showing a strong association between diet and breast cancer risk and survival, particularly high glycemic load and sugar intake. Two large population studies at the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium supported these observations.1,2

 

Findings from the Nurses’ Health Study and Nurses’ Health Study II linked reduced mortality risk among breast cancer survivors to greater adherence to a diet known to reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes.1 Investigators of the French NutriNet-Santé study examined the flip side and showed that diets high in glycemic load may increase the risk of developing breast cancer.2”

 

Researchers evaluated participants’ glycemic index (which defines the hyperglycemic power of a food and compares carbohydrate foods) and glycemic load (which corresponds to the amount of carbohydrates ingested, multiplied by the glycemic index of the food, taking into account both the quantity and quality of food consumed).

 

“Significant associations were shown between diet and cancer risk:


  • High glycemic load was associated with increased overall cancer risk and postmenopausal breast cancer risk (hazard ratio for quintile 5 vs quintile 1 [HR] = 1.64; P = .03).

  • Higher contribution of food with a low glycemic index to carbohydrate intake was associated with lower overall cancer risk (HR = 0.80; P = .0006) and breast cancer risk (HR = 0.74; P = .02), especially in postmenopausal women.

  • Higher contribution of food with a low glycemic index to caloric intake was associated with a lower risk for any type of cancer (HR = 0.83; P = .005).

  • Higher contribution of foods with a medium to high glycemic index to the overall carbohydrate intake was associated with increased overall cancer risk (HR = 1.27; P = .0001) and breast cancer risk (HR = 1.48; P = .002), especially in postmenopausal women.

  • Higher contribution of foods with a medium to high glycemic index to overall caloric intake was associated with increased overall cancer risk (HR = 1.21; P = .002) and breast cancer risk (HR = 1.34; P = .04)."

 

Findings from the Nurses’ Health Study and Nurses’ Health Study II linked reduced mortality risk among breast cancer survivors to greater adherence to a diet known to reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes.1 Investigators of the French NutriNet-Santé (4.) study examined the flip side and showed that diets high in glycemic load may increase the risk of developing breast cancer.2

 

Nurses’ Health Studies: Diabetes Risk-Reduction Diet

 

In a substudy of the large Nurses’ Health Study and Nurses’ Health Study II, greater adherence to the “diabetes risk-reduction diet” was linked to better survival after a breast cancer diagnosis.1 “Promoting dietary changes consistent with the prevention of type 2 diabetes may be important for breast cancer survivors,” said Tengteng Wang, PhD, MSPH,

 

A growing body of evidence is showing a strong association between diet and breast cancer risk and survival, particularly high glycemic load and sugar intake. Two large population studies at the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium supported these observations.1,2

 

COMMENT FROM DR. T. WANG:

“Promoting dietary changes consistent with the prevention of type 2 diabetes may be important for breast cancer survivors.”

— Tengteng Wang, PhD, MSPH, MBBS

 

REFERENCES:

1. Wang T, Farvid M, Kang JH, et al: Diabetes risk reduction diet and survival following breast cancer. 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Abstract GS2-09. Presented December 9, 2020.

2. Debras C, Chazelas E, Srour B, et al: Glycemic index, glycemic load and breast cancer risk: Results from the prospective NutriNet-Santé cohort. 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Abstract GS2-07. Presented December 9, 2020.

3. Rhee JJ, Mattei J, Hughes MD, et al: Dietary diabetes risk reduction score, race and ethnicity, and risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Diabetes Care 38:596-603, 2015.

4. Debras C, Chazelas E, Srour B, et al: Total and added sugar intakes, sugar types, and cancer risk: Results from the prospective NutriNet-Santé cohort. Am J Clin Nutr 112:1267-1279, 2020.

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