CONSUMPTION OF MEAT, ANIMAL PRODUCTS, PROTEIN, AND FAT AND RISK OF BREAST-CANCER - A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY IN NEW-YORK

Epidemiologic studies have focused on the association between diet and breast: cancer with conflicting results. Whereas a majority of case-c ontrol studies indicate a role for the intake of total fat: and satura ted fat, most prospective cohort: studies either are negative or indic ate very modest associations. Only a few authors have examined the rol e of meat: intake in relation to breast cancer risk. The aim of this s tudy was to examine the relation between risk of breast: cancer and di etary intake of meat, animal products, far, and protein. Between 1985 and 1991, we recruited 14,291 New York City women in a prospective coh ort study of endogenous hormones, diet, and cancer in which they repor ted on their recent diet: using a food frequency questionnaire self-ad ministered at enrollment. From the cohort, 180 invasive breast cancer cases diagnosed before December 1990 and five times as many controls, individually matched by age, calendar time ar enrollment, menopausal s tatus, and, if premenopausal, phase of menstrual cycle, were included in a nested case-control study. There was an evident: increase in the relative risk (RR) of breast cancer for increasing consumption of meat . Women in the upper quintile of meat consumption as compared with the lowest quintile, had an energy-adjusted RR of 1.87 (95% confidence in terval = 1.09-3.21). There was a modest RR increase in the upper quint ile of total and saturated far and no apparent association for other t ypes of far, protein, dairy products, poultry, or fish. The study indi cates that the elevated consumption of certain foods of animal origin, such as red meat, may be a factor in explaining the postulated role o f diet in breast cancer etiology.