June 28, 2013 — A new study grabbing headlines links a high intake of fatty fish with a modestly reduced risk of breast cancer.
I’m always hesistant to report on diet and cancer prevention studies because it’s very tough to single out a particular food from a person’s diet and conclude that it altered cancer risk.
Fortunately, foods usually associated with cancer prevention—such as colorful fruits and vegetables—are usually nutritious while those associated with a higher cancer risk—such as hot dogs and deli meats—usually aren’t.
Such is the case with the latest finding published in the British Medical Journal linking a high intake of oily fish rich in Omega-3 fats with an 18 percent lower risk of breast cancer. These types of fish, such as salmon, also have been associated with heart benefits, so it doesn’t hurt to eat more of them.
In the latest finding, Chinese researchers reviewed 26 previous studies involving nearly 900,000 women that either examined their fish intake, overall intake of Omega-3 fats from fish and plant oils, or measured concentrations of Omega-3 fats in body tissues.
The researchers found that those who reported eating the most Omega-3 fats in fish or who had the highest concentration of these fats in their body were the least likely to have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Each 0.1 gram daily dose of Omega-3 fats was associated with a 5 percent lower breast cancer risk with the benefits leveling off at about 0.3 to 0.4 grams per day.
Read the full story at the Boston Globe