Extra pounds increase risk for breast cancer
We all worry about being overweight. Now research has given women everywhere another reason for concern:
Weight gain, particularly after menopause, is associated with an increased risk for several types of cancer, including breast cancer.
Why?
Although your ovaries produce most of your estrogen, fat cells in the body also make small amounts of estrogen. The more fat cells there are, the more estrogen is present. And estrogen nourishes some types of breast cancer.
So if I lose weight, will I lower my risk?
The relationship between weight and breast cancer is complex. For example, excess fat around the belly seems to increase risk more than the same amount of fat around the hips and thighs.
Know your body mass index.
More important than a woman’s weight is her body mass index (BMI) – the relationship between her height and weight. BMI is one of the most accurate ways to determine when extra pounds translate into health risks. CHRISTUS provides a BMI calculator that may help you help determine whether your weight is healthy – or whether those extra pounds may increase your risk for health problems. Click on the icon at the bottom of this page to calculate your BMI.
Added weight during pregnancy.
If a woman gains extra weight during her pregnancy, it may cause changes in breast tissue that may lead to breast cancer later in life. Women who don’t lose the added pounds after pregnancy are at the greatest risk.
- Women who gain more than 50 pounds during pregnancy and don’t lose the weight after childbirth are three times more likely to develop breast cancer after menopause.
- Women who gained more than 38 pounds during pregnancy had a 40 percent increased risk.
- Women who have the highest estrogen levels during pregnancy are more likely to develop breast cancer. In fact, for each 2.2 pounds of excess pregnancy weight, the risk of having breast cancer after menopause went up nearly 4 percent.
What is a healthy weight gain during pregnancy?
A weight gain of 25-35 pounds is normal and healthy during pregnancy. This level of weight gain is not associated with any increase in breast cancer risk.
Educate yourself.
Most women who develop breast cancer have no known risk factors for the disease. We encourage all women to educate themselves about breast health and take the necessary steps to protect against breast cancer.