Being overweight can put girls at a higher risk of developing breast cancer later in life

Researchers from the European Cancer Prevention Organization analyzed the diet and lifestyle habits of 1,146 girls from birth until 13. They found that a sedentary lifestyle, obesity and a diet heavy in simple carbohydrates are the three most significant predictors of early onset of puberty. And early puberty is linked with breast cancer, as the breast is most vulnerable at the start of development. As the researchers pointed out at the conference of the European Society for Medical Oncology, "Breast cancer seems to originate almost entirely in childhood. The breast is most vulnerable at the very onset of development. Further research should focus on nutrition in children and breast cancer risk to prevent the disease." In fact, research has shown that girls who are overweight at the age of 3 are at risk of starting puberty at the age of 9. Furthermore, over the last century, the average age of puberty has dropped from the late teens to the early teens.

The study also found that exposure to infectious mononucleosis in childhood (also known as glandular fever) can affect the risk of girls developing breast cancer later in life. And chemicals found in plastics, including hormone-disrupting compounds that mimic the effects of estrogen in the body, can impact when girls start puberty. Such chemicals are often found in baby bottles, toys and food and beverage containers.

Today, breast cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide, and the breast cancer rate (one in eight) in the U.S. is the highest in the world. On average, one out of every 35 women in the United States will die from the disease.

News Release: Poor diet, low exercise leads to breast cancer in later years  www.naturalnews.com     May 4, 2009