(Newswire.net — May 27, 2017) — One glass of alcoholic drink is enough to increase the risk of developing breast cancer, according to a new report published by the American Institute for Cancer Research.
The American Institute and the World Cancer Research Fund released the study on Tuesday, suggesting that women who drink 10 grams of alcohol a day – equivalent to a small glass of wine, or an ounce of hard liquor – have an increased breast cancer risk.
The risk is higher in postmenopausal women (9 percent increase) than in premenopausal women (5 percent increase). However, the novelty is that only 10 grams of alcohol per day can raise breast cancer risk.
Bearing in mind that a standard alcoholic drink, such as a 12 oz beer can, usually contains about 14 grams of alcohol, a small glass of wine or beer is more than enough to increase the risk.
The report is a part of broader research, the Continuous Update Project (CUP), an ongoing program analyzing global research on how diet, nutrition, physical activity and weight affect cancer risk and survival.
For the report, researches analyzed 119 observational studies on breast cancer, which included data on 12 million women around the world.
“I was very surprised by the alcohol result, that risk increases at just one drink a day, on average,” lead study researcher Dr. Anne McTiernan told Medical Daily.
However, the report showed some positive news too – intense exercise reduces the risk.
The study found that premenopausal women who practice regular physically activity, such as running or cycling, have a 17 percent reduced breast cancer risk. The same exercise can lead to a 10 percent reduced risk in postmenopausal women.
Also, outdoor workout reduces more the risk of getting cancer than indoor exercise.
“Physically active people who exercise outdoors are likely to have greater exposure to the sun and thus increase vitamin D, which may affect the risk of cancer,” the report said.
The study also noted that being overweight during adulthood increases the risk of cancer, while breastfeeding reduces the risk.
The pros and const of alcohol have been for long debated in the medical circles. According to a study published in March, drinking alcohol in the recommended quantities can be better than not drinking at all for heart disease prevention.
Another study unveiled this week found that brain damage among drinkers aged 50 and above has more than trebled over the last 10 years.