Breast cancer and your plate
The Ghanaian Times reports on WHO findings suggesting that 30 to 50 percent of cancer cases are preventable through lifestyle changes. The article highlights a local initiative, Meatless Monday Ghana, which warns that high consumption of red meat and saturated fats may increase breast cancer risk.
Why it matters
Public health awareness regarding diet-related cancer risks is critical for reducing the global disease burden and improving long-term health outcomes.
APPROXIMATELY 30 to 50 per cent of cancer cases worldwide are preventable through modifiable lifestyle choices, including tobacco and alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.
Estimates from the WHO–International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) analysis published in February this year indicate that up to four in every 10 cancer cases globally could be prevented by reducing exposure to lifestyle risk factors.
As Ghana joins the rest of the world to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Meatless Monday (MM) Ghana, a public health initiative promoting the consumption of plant-based foods, is drawing attention to red meat consumption and saturated fat intake and their possible association with breast cancer risk.
What does the evidence say?
A 2014 study published in The BMJ found that higher red meat consumption among women in early adulthood was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in