topic Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk in Wellness

Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

lolakimono — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 13:31:24 GMT

http://www.today.com/health/skirt-size-increase-linked-breast-cancer-risk-study-finds-2D80172679

Women who go up a skirt size every decade between their 20s and their 60s may be at increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that an increase of one size every 10 years led to a 33 percent rise in the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, while an increase of two sizes per decade let to a 77 percent rise in risk, according to the study in the journal BMJ Open.

Although other studies have looked at the impact of weight on breast cancer risk this is the first study to look at weight gain — and with a measure that is easily assessed by women and their doctors.

“We were pleased to find an association between skirt size change, which is easy to recall, and breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women,” said study coauthor Dr. Usha Menon, head of the Gynaecological Cancer Research Center at University College London.

The advantage of scrutinizing skirt size is that it gives a window on the issue of abdominal fat, said Dr. Kandace McGuire, an expert unaffiliated with the new study, and an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Pittsburgh and director of the premenopausal breast cancer program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Menon and her colleagues followed 92,834 postmenopausal women for more than three years. At the study’s outset, the women were asked for their heights and weights as well as lifestyle and reproductive histories. To get a better sense of the change in the women’s weight with time, the researchers asked what skirt size each currently wore and what they wore when they were in their 20s.

In their final tally of the impact of increasing waist size, the researchers accounted for such factors as a family history of breast and ovarian cancer, pregnancies, smoking and drinking habits, and use of hormone replacement therapy.

During the course of the study 1,090 women, or 1.2 percent, developed breast cancer.

“A nice aspect of this study is that it looked at skirt size, which hasn’t been looked at before,” said Dr. Kala Visvanathan, an associate professor of cancer epidemiology and medical oncology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and director of the cancer genetics and prevention service at Hopkins’ Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. “It’s a nice measure for women, something they can easily relate to.”

Further, the study puts an emphasis on weight change, Visvanathan said. “Women sometimes think they are overweight and there’s no point in trying to lose at this point,” she added. “But this may mean that a decrease in weight could be protective.”

Although a correlation has been made between weight gain and increased cancer risk, no one knows exactly how fat might be contributing.

“The mechanism between increased abdominal fat and increased breast cancer risk needs to be better understood,” Menon said. “Mechanisms put forward include secks steroid hormones, insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. Previous studies suggest that body fat around the waist is metabolically more active than fat tissue elsewhere in the body.”

Experts said that older women may not need to get all the way back to the weight they were in their 20s.

“I think it’s almost too much to ask women in their 60s to be the same weight they were in their 20s,” McGuire said. “We’ve gotten to the point where we just ask them to try to maintain the weight they were at at menopause.

“But for younger women, they need to look at trying to maintain the same weight fairly steadily throughout their lives. And if they are heavy now, they should try to lose the weight before menopause, when it is so much more difficult to lose weight.”

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

151949 — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 14:31:40 GMT

I am + for the Brac gene and when the counselor who tested this for my Mom and I met with us to give us the result she explained that some other things go with having it beside just an increased possibility of breast or ovarian cancer. One of those things was an increased weight gain around the middle.Since all the women in our family , thin or heavy , all carry weight there I would say that was correct. I had BC at age 34 -- long before I got heavy or started having weight around my middle. What is in your genes is in your genes and there is little you can do about it.

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

gazelle77 — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 14:37:37 GMT

Dr. OZ has always called belly fat TOXIC GUT SYNDROME. I think he was spot on. Belly fat almost has a brain of its own, it circulates hormones and causes all kind of health issues in the body. Worst thing you can have is belly fat. If you have a predisposition to breast cancer or any cancer, the belly fat can spear it on. I do not think it will cause breast cancer, but, having the genetics in play, it could make it more likely.

Americans eat too many foods that turn to sugar in the body AND eat too much just sugar. That is the huge culprit in belly fat. Cut your carbs, sugar and eat a healthy diet with lots of vegetables, healthy proteins, healthy fats. Cut out the sweets, breads, grains etc. Yes it seems hard, but, if you put your health before your love of food, you can get rid of that toxic gut.

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

chrystaltree — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 14:40:49 GMT

Whatever.... It's just a theory.

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

gazelle77 — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 14:41:14 GMT

On 9/25/2014 happy housewife said:
I am + for the Brac gene and when the counselor who tested this for my Mom and I met with us to give us the result she explained that some other things go with having it beside just an increased possibility of breast or ovarian cancer. One of those things was an increased weight gain around the middle.Since all the women in our family , thin or heavy , all carry weight there I would say that was correct. I had BC at age 34 -- long before I got heavy or started having weight around my middle. What is in your genes is in your genes and there is little you can do about it.

I do not think this is true. Your lifestyle plays a huge role in how these genes turn on and off. To say there is little you can do about it is false.

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

QueenDanceALot — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 15:34:39 GMT

On 9/25/2014 gazelle77 said:
Dr. OZ has always called belly fat TOXIC GUT SYNDROME. I think he was spot on. Belly fat almost has a brain of its own, it circulates hormones and causes all kind of health issues in the body. Worst thing you can have is belly fat. If you have a predisposition to breast cancer or any cancer, the belly fat can spear it on. I do not think it will cause breast cancer, but, having the genetics in play, it could make it more likely.

Americans eat too many foods that turn to sugar in the body AND eat too much just sugar. That is the huge culprit in belly fat. Cut your carbs, sugar and eat a healthy diet with lots of vegetables, healthy proteins, healthy fats. Cut out the sweets, breads, grains etc. Yes it seems hard, but, if you put your health before your love of food, you can get rid of that toxic gut.

Everything we eat eventually turns to glucose. Glucose & oxygen produces energy (ATP). The process is longer for fats and proteins but they still become glucose at the end.

Which isn't to say that I suggest eating simple carbohydrates to the exclusion of non-processed food such as vegetables and good quality proteins.

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

QueenDanceALot — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 15:37:31 GMT

There are numerous possible causes of BC and we don't know them all, nor can we assure we won't get it by doing what we "think" will keep it away.

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

ical — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 15:37:34 GMT

I dunno. Soon every female will be told to hide under a tent and only eat what's approved to be thrown at them once or twice a day. imo.

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

QueenDanceALot — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 15:39:37 GMT

On 9/25/2014 ical said:
I dunno. Soon every female will be told to hide under a tent and only eat what's approved to be thrown at them once or twice a day. imo.

I doubt very much it's just about what we eat.

It's more likely a composite of genetics and how we eat, think, react, love, hate, exercise, sleep, etc. etc. etc.

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

gazelle77 — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 16:05:55 GMT

On 9/25/2014 KittyLouWhoToo said:
There are numerous possible causes of BC and we don't know them all, nor can we assure we won't get it by doing what we "think" will keep it away.

It is such a horrible disease, I will do everything in my power to put a halt to it. Most cures start as a theory.... and mind power is awesome!

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

gazelle77 — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 16:08:00 GMT

On 9/25/2014 KittyLouWhoToo said:
On 9/25/2014 ical said:
I dunno. Soon every female will be told to hide under a tent and only eat what's approved to be thrown at them once or twice a day. imo.

I doubt very much it's just about what we eat.

It's more likely a composite of genetics and how we eat, think, react, love, hate, exercise, sleep, etc. etc. etc.

we are what we eat! We are what is in our environment. Yes, genetics plays a huge part in our health history....and future. And also our mental state... but food and what we eat is going to be seen as even more important down the road. This includes supplementation as well. Mushroom extracts, Broccoli extracts, flax lignan extracts, and more.

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

Clover29 — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 16:12:39 GMT

Isn't this just like the slightly older theory that apple shaped women are more at risk of various illnesses than pear shaped women?

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

jaxs mom — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 16:17:22 GMT

During the course of the study 1,090 women, or 1.2 percent, developed breast cancer.

This really should be the headline. 1.2 %

Enough with the doom and gloom. And I am a cancer survivor but I didn't have breast cancer.

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

VioletEyes — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 16:35:00 GMT

Nothing new.... The medical community has been saying that being overweight is the cause of almost every illness out there. I find it just more scare tactics.

Eating a healthy diet , staying at a normal weight and getting plenty of exercise, is a no-brainer. What I find fault with is that no one really knows what causes breast cancer because it is a multi faceted disease with many different causes.

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

sfnative — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 16:35:18 GMT

I the job from which I retired last year, it was required of me to read the results of many research studies. Never did I read the words, "We were pleased to find..." Am glad they're happy about their findings, but was somewhat surprised at the language use.

(I don't believe in toxic gut. Fat is fat. If you intake more calories than your body requires to run its "plant" every day, the calories will be turned into fat. The pattern of fat distribution largely depends on the historically deposit of fat in your family. For instance, in one half of my mother's family they are German haus fraus and carry their weight on their hips, as do I. I've never had much of a gut, but you can find my fat on my hips. No fat on arms, back lower legs, etc.)

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

VioletEyes — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 16:35:47 GMT

On 9/25/2014 jaxs mom said:
During the course of the study 1,090 women, or 1.2 percent, developed breast cancer.

This really should be the headline. 1.2 %

Enough with the doom and gloom. And I am a cancer survivor but I didn't have breast cancer.

I agree with the bolded sentence in your post.

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

expatgal — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 16:42:04 GMT

IMO, they still don't have a clue about breast cancer. Each study and/or study group is so flawed and erroneous conclusions drawn. What overall percentage of women at around age 60 or 5 years after menopause actually wear the same size she wore when she was 25? Fact still remains, they don't have a clue.

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

gazelle77 — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 16:53:41 GMT

On 9/25/2014 sfnative said:
I the job from which I retired last year, it was required of me to read the results of many research studies. Never did I read the words, "We were pleased to find..." Am glad they're happy about their findings, but was somewhat surprised at the language use.

(I don't believe in toxic gut. Fat is fat. If you intake more calories than your body requires to run its "plant" every day, the calories will be turned into fat. The pattern of fat distribution largely depends on the historically deposit of fat in your family. For instance, in one half of my mother's family they are German haus fraus and carry their weight on their hips, as do I. I've never had much of a gut, but you can find my fat on my hips. No fat on arms, back lower legs, etc.)

This fact of the fat surrounding your organs in the belly region has been proven to be detrimental to your health. Diabetes among other deadly condtions is caused by the hormones that this fat creates... almost like it's own little world.

Belly fat doesn't just lay idle at your beltline. Researchers describe it as an active "organ" in your body -- one that churns out hormones and inflammatory substances.

"Abdominal fat is thought to break down easily into fatty acids, which flow directly into the liver and into muscle," says Lewis Kuller, MD, DPH, professor and past chair of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health.

When these excess fatty acids drain into the liver, they trigger a chain reaction of changes -- increasing the production of LDL 'bad' cholesterol and triglycerides. During this time insulin can also become less effective in controlling blood sugar, so insulin resistance sets in, he explains.

Blood sugars start to get out of balance. Fats and clots get into the bloodstream, and that sets the stage for diabetes, heart disease, and more.

And research shows that abdominal fat triggers a change in angiotensin, a hormone that controls blood vessel constriction -- increasing the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack, Kuller explains.

Indeed, belly fat is a key indicator of "metabolic syndrome," a cluster of abnormalities that include high levels of blood sugar, blood pressure, and triglycerides, as well as low levels of "good" HDL cholesterol. This combination of risks has an impact on mortality from heart disease.

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

Black Cat Back — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 16:54:33 GMT

I exercise every day. I walk an hour a day. I lift weights 3x a week. I don't eat refined sugars, no desserts, no white flour. I eat a lot of fruits, veggies, whole grains. I don't eat red meat. I'm 50 and I still have abdominal girth/bloat. It's not "fat" per se, but I have issues getting into size 4 pants I used to wear. Yet, size 4 pants I bought 10 years ago, fit. Perhaps it's the way the designers are making clothes, they don't make them for proportions, they make them for style only. I can fit into my size 4 skirts. So what does that mean?

I just had a physical and all my labs looked excellent.

I'm doing everything I can possibly do to be healthy. You can't stop hormonal changes or gas or whatever causes abdominal expansion. If we all adhered to all the studies, etc. we would never leave our homes out of fear.

They used to say women who never gave birth will get more cancer. Yet, all my friends or women I know who have had breast or ovarian cancer all had kids.

Living is one big risk, but we forge on.

Don't let these studies scare you. Some of it may be "true" some just theory. Remember, companies who do research get a lot of money to come up with results. Don't let it scare you or control you.

If you have an unhealthy lifestyle, you need to find ways to change it. Do it for you, not because some study told you to be scared.

Just my 2 cents.

Re: Increase in skirt size linked to increase in BC risk

151949 — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 23:05:43 GMT

On 9/25/2014 expatgal said:
IMO, they still don't have a clue about breast cancer. Each study and/or study group is so flawed and erroneous conclusions drawn. What overall percentage of women at around age 60 or 5 years after menopause actually wear the same size she wore when she was 25? Fact still remains, they don't have a clue.

Ain't that the truth!!!