The newest research suggests yet another dietary link to breast cancer. Eating a diet rich in carbohydrates may increase a woman's risk for developing breast cancer, according to a recent study. 

Researchers with the National Cancer Institute analyzed the eating habits of more than 60,000 women and followed their health for an average of 17 years. In particular, they looked at the glycemic load of each woman’s diet. To calculate glycemic load, they multiplied the amount of carbohydrates per serving of each food a woman ate by its glycemic index (GI), which is a measure of a food’s ability to raise blood sugar levels. They multiplied that result by the number of servings the woman ate.

The scientists found that women whose diet had a high glycemic load had a significantly higher risk for breast cancer than those with a low glycemic load. In fact, women whose diets had the highest glycemic load had an 81 percent higher risk for one type of breast cancer than those with the lowest glycemic loads.

The researchers believe high-glycemic load diets may boost breast cancer risk by increasing concentrations of insulin and hormones in the body. This, in turn, may contribute to the development and spread of breast cancer cells.

The Takeaway: Quantity vs. Quality of Carbs
If you’ve been paying attention to the glycemic index of the foods you eat, it may be important to note that GI simply measures the overall quality of carbohydrates in a given food, according to Priya Gor, MD, MSCE, a hematologist and medical oncologist on staff at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center.

"By looking at glycemic load as well as GI, this research suggests that the combination of quality and quantity of carbohydrates in a woman’s diet may affect her breast cancer risk," said Dr. Gor.

Learn More
Diet is just one factor that may affect your risk for breast cancer. To find out more about breast cancer, including risk factors, prevention and screening, visit www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast.