Compared with women who had 1 serving of red meat a week, those who ate 10.5 servings a week appeared to have a 22% higher risk of breast cancer. And each additional daily serving of red meat seemed to increase the risk of breast cancer by another 13%. The researchers drew from data on the health of 89,000 women aged 24 to 43, who were followed over a 20-year period.

The study was published online June 10, 2014 in British Medical Journal.

“Cutting down processed meat, limiting intake of red meat, and substituting a combination of poultry, fish, legumes, and nuts as protein sources for red meat during early life seems beneficial for the prevention of breast cancer,” said lead researcher Maryam Farvid, a Takemi Fellow at HSPH in an article.

For more information
Dietary protein sources in early adulthood and breast cancer incidence: prospective cohort study

MDN