Mediterranean diet with olive oil may reduce risk of breast cancer
A Mediterranean diet coupled with lots of virgin olive oil may reduce the risk of breast cancer, according to a study published in the JAMA Internal Medicine.
The Mediterranean diet is known for its abundance of plant foods, fish and especially olive oil. Miguel A. Martínez-González, M.D., of the University of Navarra in Pamplona and CIBEROBN in Madrid, Spain, and coauthors analyzed the effects of two interventions with the Mediterranean diet (supplemented with extra virgin olive oil [EVOO] or nuts) compared with advice to women to follow a low-fat diet.
Study participants in the two intervention groups were given EVOO (one liter per week for the participants and their families) or mixed nuts (30 grams per day: 15 grams of walnuts, 7.5 grams of hazelnuts and 7.5 grams of almonds).
The study was conducted within the framework of the large PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) trial, which was designed to test the effects of the Mediterranean diet on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.
In a study involving 4,282 women (ages 60 to 80 and at high risk of cardiovascular disease), the authors report that women eating a Mediterranean diet supplemented with EVOO showed a 68% relatively lower risk of malignant breast cancer than those allocated to the control diet. Women eating a Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts showed a non-significant risk reduction compared with women in the control group.
“The results of the PREDIMED trial suggest a beneficial effect of a MeDiet [Mediterranean diet] supplemented with EVOO in the primary prevention of breast cancer. Preventive strategies represent the most sensible approach against cancer. The intervention paradigm implemented in the PREDIMED trial provides a useful scenario for breast cancer prevention because it is conducted in primary health care centers and also offers beneficial effects on a wide variety of health outcomes. Nevertheless, these results need confirmation by long-term studies with a higher number of incident cases,” the authors conclude.
Category: Features, Wellness and Complementary Therapies
