Eating Lots of Sugar and
Refined Starch May Raise Cancer Risk
With science, consumers and the media all-abuzz about the high- carb/low-fat
diet craze, there's new evidence that shows women who eat lots of refined
carbohydrates were more than twice as likely to suffer from breast cancer than
those who limited them.
Researchers compared the diets of 475 women who were newly diagnosed with
breast cancer with some 1,400 healthy women in Mexico City. Women filled out a
lengthy food questionnaire widely used in nutritional studies and were placed in
one of four categories based on the total percentage of their calories that came
from carbohydrates.
Although much research has measured the effectiveness of high-carb diets in
terms of weight loss, this study was unusual in that it looked at how sugar and
starch intake affects one's cancer risk.
A study performed last year noted a higher risk of breast cancer in younger
women who ate lots of sweets. How do carbs increase one's risk of cancer?
Scientists believe carbs may raise blood sugar rapidly, which creates a surge of
insulin to be secreted, causing cancer cells to divide and leading to higher
estrogen levels.
The women whose carb intake was highest (62 percent or more) were about 2.2
times more likely to succumb to breast cancer versus those whose intake was at
52 percent or under of their diets. In fact, the study found those who ate more
fruit, vegetables and whole grains significantly lessen their risk of breast
cancer.
U.S. breast cancer rates are among the highest worldwide, with some 132 cases
reported for every 100,000 women.
Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention,
August 2004;Vol. 13, 1283- 1289, Link
to article
