Adherence to the 2018 World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research Recommendations and Breast Cancer in the SUN Project

• Published in: Nutrients 2020-07, Vol.12 (7), p.2076
• Main Authors: Barrios-Rodríguez, Rocio, Toledo, Estefanía, Martinez-Gonzalez, Miguel Angel, Aguilera-Buenosvinos, Inmaculada, Romanos-Nanclares, Andrea, Jiménez-Moleón, José Juan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 2018 WRCF/AICR recommendations; Academies and Institutes - organization & administration; Adipose Tissue; Age; Body fat; Breast cancer; Breast feeding; Breast Neoplasms - etiology; Breast Neoplasms - prevention & control; Breastfeeding & lactation; cohort; Compliance; Diet; Diet - adverse effects; Disease prevention; Exercise; Fast food; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Female; Food processing; Health Promotion; Health risk assessment; Health risks; Humans; Life Style; Meat; Medical research; Menopause; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena - physiology; Patient Compliance; Physical activity; Post-menopause; Prevention; Prospective Studies; Questionnaires; Research - organization & administration; Risk; Risk analysis; Risk factors; Spain; Statistical analysis; SUN Project; Womens health
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu12072076

A proportion of breast cancer cases are attributable to combined modifiable risk factors. The World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) has recently updated the recommendations for cancer prevention and a standard scoring system has been published. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between compliance with the 2018 WCRF/AICR cancer prevention recommendations (Third Expert Report) and the risk of breast cancer in the SUN ("Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra") prospective cohort. Spanish female university graduates, initially free of breast cancer, were included (n = 10,930). An 8-item score to measure compliance to the recommendations was built: body fat, physical activity, consumption of wholegrains/vegetables/fruit/beans, "fast foods", red/processed meat consumption, sugar-sweetened drinks consumption, alcohol intake, and breastfeeding. A stratified analysis was conducted according to menopausal status. A non-significant inverse association was observed for overall breast cancer. The inverse association became statistically significant for post-menopausal breast cancer after multivariable adjustment (hazard ratio for > 5 vs. ≤ 3 points = 0.27; 95% CI: 0.08-0.93). The results suggested that the possible inverse association with breast cancer was attributable to the combined effects of the different nutritional and lifestyle components.