Teenage girls may develop a preference for hamburgers, fries and shakes the seed of the breast Cancer later in life.
Diets high in sugar, carbohydrates and processed meats and foods are known to increase levels of inflammation in the body, all of which increase the risk of cancer and heart disease.
Now a study has shown that indulging in such a diet can be especially harmful for teenage girls when they are going through puberty and their breasts are still developing.
Scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina found that fast food and junk food contain high levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which can cause changes in the breasts similar to those seen in breast cancer patients, such as increased breast density.
Each year, more than 264,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer. It is the most common cancer among women in America. More than 43,000 people die from this disease every year
Most breast growth occurs during adolescence. Dr. Steven Quay, a Seattle physician and scientist who was not involved in the study, said the “environmental assaults during this vulnerable time can produce changes that last decades.”
In the rodent study, published in the journal Breast Cancer Research, scientists made AGE products by cooking glucose-based rodent food at 248 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius) for 15 minutes.
This stimulated the formation of a broad spectrum of AGEs typically found in fried or grilled foods.
AGEs are harmful compounds that form when proteins or fats mix with sugar in the bloodstream.
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Mice that had gone through puberty were divided into three groups: a control group received a normal mouse diet, one group received a low-AGE diet, and one group received a high-AGE diet.
As for the effect on the structure of the breasts in the mice, the high-AGE diet led to changes in breast tissue similar to those seen in patients with very early breast cancer.
This included a change that manifested itself in greater breast density in humans.
In humans, increased breast density can only be diagnosed with a mammogram.
Only the mice on the high AGE diet produced abnormal brush cells.
Scientists are still not entirely sure why dense breast tissue is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.
Dense breast tissue is thought to contain more cells that can develop into abnormal cells, and in women, abnormal breast cells increase the risk of breast cancer.
The study does not prove a causal link between foods high in AGEs and breast cancer, but shows that eating a lot of processed fast food can increase the likelihood of developing dense breast tissue, which increases future breast cancer risk.
Dr Quay called for guidelines to be developed to recommend a diet low in processed foods to adolescent girls to reduce the risk of future breast cancer.
There are many other reasons why someone may be diagnosed with breast cancer, including genetic factors.
Men can also get breast cancer, but the study did not examine diet by age or the risk of breast cancer in men.
Each year, more than 264,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer. It is the most common cancer among women in America. More than 43,000 people die from this disease every year.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.