According to recent research conducted by Oxford university & funded by Cancer Research, obesity is now the a leading modifiable factor that can affect a womens chance of developing breat cancer. Alcohol consumption and smoking are other modifiable risk factors that were identified after obesity. The research was published in the Journal of Cancer.

Dr Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK’s senior science information manager, said: “There’s already strong evidence that drinking alcohol and being overweight can increase the risk of breast cancer but it’s important to understand why these links exist. This is an important study as it helps to show how alcohol and weight can influence hormone levels. Understanding their role in breast cancer is vital and this analysis sheds light on how they could affect breast cancer risk.

“We know that the risk of the disease can be affected by family history and getting older, but there are also things women can do help reduce the risk of the disease. Maintaining a healthy body weight and reducing alcohol consumption are key to reducing breast cancer risk.”

Visit cancer research’s website to read full information [1] http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/news/archive/pressrelease/2011-07-20-weight-strongest%20influence-on-post-menopausal-breast-cancer?view=rss