Reducing Breast Cancer Risks
Research shows that lifestyle has an effect on cancer risk profile.
Breast cancer is increasing Australia, with a 1 in 7 lifetime risk in 2025. Although most diagnoses occur after age 50, Australian statistics show there has been a significant increase in breast cancer diagnosed for women aged under 50 over the past 20 years.
World Cancer Research Fund has established 10 cancer prevention recommendations.
The 2013 VITAL prospective cohort study followed 30,000 women over almost 7 years and they found that adhering to 5 of these recommendations would reduce the risk of breast cancer by as much as 60%.
It’s worth considering which of these recommendations you might be already using and where you might be able to make some simple changes in your lifestyle to help you reduce your risk of cancer.
References:
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2024). Cancer data in Australia. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cancer/cancer-data-in-australia
World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research. Continuous Update Project Expert Report 2018. Diet, nutrition, and physical activity and breast cancer survivors. Revised 2018. Accessed May 20 2025. wcrf.org/sites/default/ files/Breast-cancer-survivors-report.pdf
Hastert TA, Beresford SA, Patterson RE, Kristal AR, White E. (2013) Adherence to WCRF/ AICR cancer prevention recommendations and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev.22:1498-1508.
