Prospective study of a diabetes risk reduction diet and the risk of breast cancer

Hyperinsulinemia and higher insulin-like growth factors may increase breast cancer risk. We evaluated a diabetes risk reduction diet (DRRD) and breast cancer risk.

We prospectively evaluated the association between adherence to a DRRD and the incidence of breast cancer.

We followed 88,739 women from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS; 1980-2016) and 93,915 women from the NHSII (1991-2017). Incident breast cancer cases (n = 11,943) were confirmed with medical records, and subtypes were determined by tissue microarray data and pathology reports. Information on diet and breast cancer risk factors was repeatedly ascertained in follow-up questionnaires. A DRRD score was derived with 9 factors: lower glycemic index of diet; lower intakes of trans fat, sugar-sweetened beverages/fruit juices, and red/processed meat; higher intakes of cereal fiber, coffee, nuts, and whole fruits; and a higher ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fat (score range: 9-45). Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (MVHRs) and 95% CIs were calculated with Cox proportional hazards models.

Being in the highest compared with the lowest DRRD adherence quintile was associated with a modestly lower breast cancer risk (MVHRQ5vsQ1: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.84, 0.95; P-trend = 0.0002); this was attenuated after adjusting for weight change since age 18 y (MVHRQ5vsQ1: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.87, 0.98; P-trend = 0.01). The inverse association was strongest among women with current BMI < 25 kg/m2 (MVHRQ5vsQ1: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.81, 0.98; P-trend = 0.004; P-interaction = 0.04). Among tumor molecular subtypes, the strongest inverse association was observed with basal-type tumors (MVHRQ5vsQ1: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.45, 1.01; P-trend = 0.04).

Greater DRRD-adherence was associated with lower breast cancer risk, likely mediated by less weight gain with a DRRD; however, independently of weight change, DRRD-adherence was modestly associated with lower breast cancer risk, particularly among lean women.