​Premenopausal women can reduce their risk of developing breast cancer by consistently consuming generous amount of fiber-containing foods, particularly during their adolescent life and early adulthood.
This study investigated the consumption of dietary fiber during adolescence and early adulthood in relation to the incidence of breast cancer in premenopausal women. With the aid of a dietary questionnaire, researchers collated and analyzed data on the fiber intake of 90,534 premenopausal women recruited from the Nurses' Health Study 11 cohort. The breast cancer odds ratio of each subject that participated in the study was also determined.
Researchers found out that high dietary intake of soluble and insoluble fiber during adolescent life and early adulthood correlated with lower breast cancer risk in premenopausal women. The results of this study suggest that premenopausal women who were generous consumers of fiber-rich foods, especially during their teenage years and early adult life, may be less prone to develop breast cancer.