The study of 20,000 women who were randomly assigned to one of two groups shows that among the women who were in the low-fat, more fruits, vegetables and grains group has a 21 percent lower risk of dying from breast cancer compared to the group who consumed their usual diets.
Whether the benefit in lower risk is due to the lower-fat content of the diet or whether it was due to the higher amounts of fruits and vegetables, or both is unknown. Nevertheless the study is convincing evidence that a dietary intervention could reduce deaths from breast cancer.
The Women’s Health Initiative was launched in 1993 as a long-term national health study focused on strategies for preventing heart disease, breast and colorectal cancer, and osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal women. More than 160,000 women enrolled in one or more clinical trials testing the health effects of hormone therapy, dietary modification, vitamin and mineral supplements, and an observational study.
This study is an update of one of the original studies led by Dr. Rowan Chlebowski of the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute that enrolled more than 48,000 postmenopausal women between 50 and 79 years of age with no previous breast cancer. The women were divided into two groups, with 60 percent of the women following their normal diets and 40 percent who were put on a low-fat diet with more grains and vegetables.
That 8-year study found that the women on the controlled diet had fewer deaths from breast cancer but the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. However, deaths after breast cancer from any cause, not just breast cancer was significantly lower in the low-fat diet group.
With nearly 20 years of follow-up, this more recent analysis of the study showed that there was a significant reduction in deaths due to breast cancer in the low-fat group.
With nearly 20 years of follow-up, this more recent analysis of the study showed that there was a significant reduction in deaths due to breast cancer in the low-fat group.
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