Another red alert
A high intake of red meat during adolescence may increase the risk of premenopausal breast cancer. This study examined diets of over 39,000 women from 1998 to 2005, during which time 455 cases of breast cancer were diagnosed. Results showed that women who ate the most red meat had a 34 per cent higher risk of developing breast cancer compared to those who ate the least. Red meat consumption during adulthood has been previously been linked to hormone-fuelled breast cancer in women ages 26 to 46.
Linos et al., 2008. Red meat consumption during adolescence among premenopausal women and risk of breast cancer. Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. 17 (8) 2146-2151.
About the author
Dr. Justine Butler
Justine joined Viva! in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. After working as a campaigner, then researcher and writer, she is now Viva!’s head of research and her work focuses on animals, the environment and health. Justine’s scientific training helps her research and write both in-depth scientific reports, such as White Lies and the Meat Report, as well as easy-to-read factsheets and myth-busting articles for consumer magazines and updates on the latest research. Justine also recently wrote the Vegan for the Planet guide for Viva!’s Vegan Now campaign.
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