Dietary fat:
There have been many studies concerning dietary fat intake and cancer risk and results have not been consistent. Some show that dietary fat intake increase risk of breast cancer, some showed no such association.
However, a recent study called WINS showed women with early stage breast cancer who were in a low-fat dietary intervention had a lower risk of relapse.
At the start of the study, women consumed about 57 grams of fat per day or close to 30 percent of daily caloric intake. At the end of the first year of observation, the women in the dietary intervention group had reduced their fat intake by an average of 24 grams per day compared with only a 5 gram per day drop in the control group. The difference between the two groups was maintained throughout the trial. By the fifth year of the trial the women in the intervention group weighed an average of 6 pounds less than the women in the control group.
After five years of follow-up, breast cancer recurrence or new breast cancers occurred in 9.8 percent of the women on the low-fat diet and in 12.4 percent of those on the standard diet. The largest risk reduction -- 42 percent -- appeared to be among women on the low-fat diet whose tumors estrogen receptor-negative. The risk reduction was 15 percent in women whose tumor were estrogen receptor-positive.
A study from the Nurses’ Health Study found among the cohort of premenopausal women, higher intake of animal fat was associated with approximately 50% increased risk of breast cancer, but no association was seen with vegetable fat. This suggests that animal fat may be a particular risk.
Key Recommendation
- Keep total fat intake between 20 to 30 percent of calories.
- Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and avoid or keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible.
| Daily Total Calorie Intake | Limit on Total Dietary Fat Intake including Saturated Fat (20-30%) | Limit on Saturated Fat Intake (10%) |
|---|---|---|
1600 calories |
35 - 55 gram |
18 gram or less |
1800 calories |
40 - 60 gram |
20 gram |
2000 calories |
45 - 65 gram |
22 gram |
2200 calories |
50 - 75 gram |
24 gram |
Healthy Fats: Choose in moderation (20-30% of calories)
| High in monounsaturated fat | High in polyunsaturated fats | High in omega-3 fat |
|---|---|---|
olive oil |
safflower oil |
salmon |
Harmful Fats: Avoid or consume as low as possible
| High in saturated fats | High in trans fat |
|---|---|
pastries, pies, and bakery items |
processed foods including: |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1 teaspoon olive oil | 5 gram |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon peanut butter | 5 gram | |
| 10 peanuts | 5 gram | |
| 1/8 slice avocado | 5 gram | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1 teaspoon corn oil | 5 gram |
| 3-4 walnut halves | 5 gram | |
| Saturated Fat | 1 cup of 2% milk | 5 gram |
| 1 egg | 5 gram | |
| 1 tablespoon butter | 5 gram | |
| 1 ounce medium fat meat | 4-7 gram | |
| 1 ounce lean meat | 0-3 gram |
Other food and nutrition topics:
- Cooking oil
- Dietary fat
- Dietary fiber
- Omega 3 fatty acid
- Organic healthy food
- Preserved food
- Red meat
- Soy products
- Sugar
- Vegetarian diet guideline
- Vitamin D
- Other resources
