Research

Trans fats: A factor in breast cancer, too

Trans-fatty acids have already been identified as a villain because they clog arteries. Now a study singles out trans fat as a factor contributing to breast cancer.

A French research team reported the study in the American Journal of Epidemiology. The team checked blood samples for fatty acid levels and surveyed lifestyle behaviors during a three-year study of 25,000 women.

"A high serum level of trans-monounsaturated fatty acids, presumably reflecting a high intake of industrially processed foods, is probably one factor contributing to increased risk of invasive breast cancer in women," the report abstract concludes.

What does it take to live a long life?

According to a study recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, five factors increase probability by more than 50 percent that a 70-year-old will live to age 90:

• Not smoking
• Exercising
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Avoiding blood pressure
• Avoiding diabetes

The study followed 2,300 health men, average age 72, starting in 1981. An abstract is available on The Archives of Internal Medicine web site.

DASH Diet shown to protect from heart attack and stroke

A large study shows evidence that a diet designed to lower blood pressure provides some protection against cardiovascular disease.

For nearly 25 years, researchers followed the health of some 88,000 women and surveying them for lifestyle choices, including nutrition.

Those who had eating habits nearest to that of the DASH Diet—Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension—were 24 percent less likely to have a heart attack and 18 percent less likely to have a stroke.

The initial studies of the DASH Diet were coordinated by Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland. The diet—or, more properly, the eating habit—emphasizes fruits and vegetables (nine or more servings a day), low-fat dairy (three servings), reduced fat intake (25 percent of calories or less) and no more than two servings of meat a day, with a preference for poultry and fish.

Previous studies have also shown that DASH can help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol.

The most recent study is published in The Archives of Internal Medicine. An abstract is available on the journal’s web site.

For information on the DASH Diet, see the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute web site.