TWO SWEET TREATS A WEEK LINKED TO 28% HIGHER BREAST CANCER RISK, BUT NOT FRUIT
A bowl of frosted cereal or a scoop of ice cream a few times a week might seem harmless, but new research has linked frequent sugary treats to a higher risk of breast cancer.
The study, which has been making headlines around the world this week, followed more than 71,000 women for an average of 9.2 years.
Women who ate more than two servings of high-sugar foods a week had a 28 per cent higher risk of developing breast cancer than women who ate them once a month or less.
And in a welcome twist for fruit lovers, fruit showed no link at all.
Inside the sugar and breast cancer study
The research was led by scientists at Seoul National University in South Korea and published in the European Journal of Nutrition.
The team used data from the Health Examinees study, a large community study of Korean adults aged 40 to 69.
Women filled in a detailed food questionnaire covering 106 foods, and were then tracked through the national cancer registry.
Over the follow-up period, 713 women were diagnosed with breast cancer.
The researchers looked at seven groups of sugary foods: soft drinks, sweetened tea, cakes and biscuits, sweets, sugary cereals, ice cream, and jam and butter.
Which sugary foods stood out
According to News-Medical's summary of the paper, two foods drew particular attention.
Women who ate sugary cereal at least once every two months had a 34 per cent higher risk than those who never ate it, although the authors noted that cereal was not eaten often overall.
Eating ice cream at least weekly was linked to a 26 per cent higher risk, a result described as borderline.
Soft drinks, cakes and biscuits, sweets, and jam and butter showed no significant link on their own.
Total sugar intake was not linked to risk either.
Why fruit gets the thumbs up
Here is the really interesting part.
Fruit supplied about 43 per cent of the sugar the women ate, yet it was not associated with a higher risk of breast cancer.
Experts quoted by Medical News Today said whole fruit comes packaged with fibre, vitamins and protective plant compounds, which makes it very different from a processed sweet treat.
The authors concluded that "the source and context of sugar should be evaluated along with the amount consumed".
In other words, a mango is not the same as a choc top, even if both taste like summer.
What this means for you
It is important to keep the findings in perspective.
This was an observational study, which means it shows a link rather than proof that sugary foods cause breast cancer.
Diet was measured only once, at the start, and the study could not separate added sugars from natural ones.
It also could not look at different types of breast cancer or whether women had been through menopause.
The research was carried out in Korean women, whose diets differ from typical Australian diets, so more studies are needed.
Still, the message lines up neatly with everyday healthy eating advice.
Keep sweet treats as treats rather than daily habits.
Choose whole fruit when a sugar craving strikes, such as berries with yoghurt or a crunchy apple.
Check cereal labels and look for options lower in sugar and higher in fibre.
Keep an eye on alcohol, as the study found a stronger link among women who drank.
Cancer Council Australia has also warned that excess body weight is linked to thousands of cancer cases each year, so staying active and eating well remain two of the best things you can do.
Breast cancer checks matter most
No single food will make or break your health, and regular breast checks remain essential.
Get to know how your breasts normally look and feel, and see your GP promptly about any changes.
Free screening mammograms are available through BreastScreen Australia, so speak to your GP about what is right for your age and family history.
