Most women are unaware that healthy diets can help prevent breast cancer

Key takeaways:

• A survey of women found most respondents did not know that factors like soy products could reduce the risk for breast cancer.
• The survey also showed a lack of education on breast cancer risk reduction between HCPs and women.

Less than three in 10 women are aware that a healthy diet can help reduce the risk for breast cancer, according to a recent survey.

“Public education programs on breast cancer have focused on mammograms, which play a vital role, but are not enough,” Neal Barnard, MD, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), said in a press release. “It is essential to empower people with steps they can take to protect themselves, and a healthy diet is at the top of the list.”

The survey, conducted by PCRM and business intelligence company Morning Consult, asked 2,017 women their opinion about several factors related to the prevention of breast cancer.

The researchers found that 28% of respondents spontaneously mentioned diet when asked what steps women can take to lower their chances of breast cancer, which was second to screening methods (56%).

The results show little increase in awareness of preventive dietary measures during the last 2 decades because the number of spontaneous mentions about diet is just a 5-percentage point increase since a 1995 survey.

When asked about specific eating habits that may reduce the risk for breast cancer, 61% of respondents named at least one, a 9-percentage point increase since 1995.

The top specific eating habits mentioned included vegetables (23%) and fruits (16%), whereas just 2% mentioned a plant-based, vegan or vegetarian diet and 4% mentioned cooking with an electric burner.

The survey also showed misconceptions about dietary preventive measures. For example, 17% of respondents knew that soy products reduce breast cancer risk, 16% believed that soy products increased the risk and 13% said they had no effect.

Women most often mentioned overweight or obesity (69%) and high consumption of processed meats (67%) when asked about specific categories that increase the risk for breast cancer.

Approximately one-quarter of respondents mentioned that high consumption of dairy products and red wine increases breast cancer risk.

Regarding demographic trends, the researchers noted that young women, women with a lower household income and women with lower educational attainment showed less knowledge about preventive factors.

Ultimately, 72% of respondents said they have never received information or education about associations between breast cancer risk and nutrition from a health care professional.

“It’s clear that millions of women have yet to hear the lifesaving message that what they eat and drink strongly influences their chances of developing breast cancer,” Kristi Funk, MD, a breast cancer surgeon, said in the release. “Science shows nearly 50% of cases are preventable through diet and lifestyle, at least in theory, and in my opinion, 80% to 90% of cases could be avoided.”

References:

• Beliefs about dietary factors in breast cancer prevention among American women. Available at: https://pcrm.widen.net/s/fblnjvzsdh/pcrm-breast-cancer-awareness-8.15.24. Accessed Sept. 5, 2024.
• Fewer than 3 of 10 women cite diet when asked how to reduce chances of breast cancer. Available at: https://www.pcrm.org/news/news-releases/fewer-3-10-women-cite-diet-when-asked-how-reduce-chances-breast-cancer. Published Aug. 26, 2024. Accessed Sept. 5, 2024.