A new study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology has found that even moderate amounts of dairy milk can increase the risk of breast cancer by as much as 80%.
The study, carried out by the Loma Linda University, evaluated the dietary intakes of almost 53,000 women over nearly eight years. It found that consuming as little as ¼ to 1/3 of a cup of dairy milk per day was associated with an increased breast cancer risk of 30%.
Drinking one cup of milk per day raised the risk 50%, while for women consuming two to three cups per day, the risk increased by 70-80%.
There was minimal variation between full fat and reduced fat milks, and there were no important associations noted with cheese and yoghurt.
The data from the study predicted a reduction in risk when substituting soy milk for dairy milk.
The paper’s authors say the work suggest the urgent need for further research and urges women to balance the positive nutritional qualities of dairy milk with the potential risk.
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