Periodic Dieting May Cut Breast Cancer Risk

Periodically cutting calories may lower the risk of developing breast cancer better than full-time dieting, according to a new study published in Cancer Prevention Research.Three sets of mice predisposed to developing breast tumors were put on different diets: unlimited eating, intermittently cutting calories by 25%, or permanently reducing caloric intake 25%. Those on the intermittent diet fared best, with only 9% developing mammary tumors compared to 35% of those chronically restricted and 71% of those that ate all they wanted.

Although previous studies had shown similar results, the researchers were still surprised. Study author Margot P. Cleary, a professor at The Hormel Institute of the University of Minnesota, said her team thought periodic dieting might foster tumor growth as the return of added nourishment could jumpstart the secretion of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), ahormone linked to the promotion of breast cancer.

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