Pre-menopausal women who consume one-and-a-half servings of red meat daily are twice more likely develop breast cancer than women who eat three servings or less per week, according to a study published in the November 2006 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School analyzed data of more than 90,000 women aged 26 to 46. The participants were evaluated on their red meat intake using the food frequency questionnaire. The survey was administered in 1991, 1995 and 1999. The respondents were followed up through 2003. During the 12- year period, an updating on who among the subjects developed breast cancer was done every two years.
Results of the study reveal that 1,021 women have developed breast cancer. Of these, 512 are estrogen and progesterone receptor positive, 167 are estrogen and progesterone receptor negative, 110 mixed and 232 unknowns.
Heavy red meat intake is associated with increased risk with breast cancers that are estrogen and progesterone receptor positive, but not with the estrogen and progesterone receptor negative.