Low Fat Diet and Cancer Link

Cancer is a very concerning and alarming concept in the present society mainly because of its negative implication on the lives and health welfare of the people afflicted with the ailment. As such, the health society and other concerned organization channel much interest, efforts and resources to study the range and biological nature of cancer together with its likely causes, contributory factors and the long-awaited treatment for the problem. Among the targeted issue is the low fat diets and their link to certain cancers particularly the breast cancer.

In the general health field concern, it is dominantly established that diet has a significant effect to the health of an individual namely the likeliness of breast cancer to women. This concept is already strongly accepted with the support of many scientific studies and researches. However, on a particular view, how is low-fat diets actually related to breast cancer problem and whether this is on a positive or negative perspective. Most of the studies in this context relate the diet nature to the reduction of the chances of each women of having breast cancer. A particular study conducted by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation establishes that low-fat diet significantly reduces breast cancer chances for women as according to their study, fat content of the women is directly related to the amount of estrogen she has to be converted to estradiol.

This estradiol in particular is the biologically active form of estrogen that can promote the growth of breast cancer cells (Paskett, 2004). On another perspective, other studies have also established that low-fat diets can also significantly reduce breast cancer relapse. A particular experimentation conducted by the Women’s Intervention Nutrition Study (WINS) has found that women who reduce their consumption of dietary fats have affected their breast cancer condition developing them to become estrogen receptor negative (ER-negative) (National Cancer Institute, 2005). These studies and other have indeed linked low fat diet to be a significant preventive mean against breast cancer.

On the other hand, other studies and scientific journals claim a different look on the context, as their researches have found no significant link between low-fat diet and cancer. On the perspective of low fat diet as a preventive mean, the results of the Women’s Health Initiative Dietary Modification Trial have established that there are no significant benefits to be gained in a low-fat diet. Their subject assigned to this diet strategy did not gain natural defense or protection against known cancers such as breast, colorectal, and even cardiovascular diseases (Harvard School of Public Health; 2007).

Another report derive from the findings of the American Medical Association states that the reduced risk with low-fat diet and the occurrence of breast cancer is not statistically significant to have a preventive effect or solution offering to the problem (Bhattacharya, 2006).

However, it must be noted that the claims derive from this studies, though contradicting the benefits of low-fat diets, are not sufficient reasons to stack up on dietary fats and oils. It is still established and widely accepted that low-fat diets have a significant effects to the cancer problem and health aspect though still not specified by scientific supports and research findings. It is still important to follow help advices and intuition in pursuing low-fat diets that is high on rich-carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins which are equally beneficial to the overall health and the natural protection against certain diseases and health problems.

Bibliography

Bhattacharya, Shaoni (2006). Low-fat diet may not reduce cancer and heart risks. NewScientist.com News Service. Reed Business Information Ltd. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8697.html. October 11, 2007.

Harvard School of Public Health (2007). Low-Fat Diet Not a Cure-All. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/low_fat.html. October 11, 2007.

National Cancer Institute (2005). Low-Fat Diet May Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer Relapse. U.S. National Institutes of Health. http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/low-fat-diet0505. October 11, 2007.

Paskett, Electra D. Ph.D. (2004). Low Fat Vs. Low Carb Diet Studied in Breast Cancer. Ohio State University Medical Center. http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/mediaroom/press/article.cfm?ID=1746&i=64. October 11, 2007.