Mothers who breastfeed for a year in total are 5% less likely to develop breast cancer than women who do not breastfeed at all.
At the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, research shows that breastfeeding for one year - two babies for six months each, for example - is enough to reduce a woman’s breast cancer risk by 4.8 per cent.
It also probably reduces the child’s risk of becoming overweight. This is important for cancer prevention because excess body fat in adulthood increases the risk of six types of cancer, including breast and bowel cancer, according to Dr Rachel Thompson, Science Programme Manager for the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).
But despite convincing evidence that breastfeeding reduces breast cancer risk, a recent YouGov survey revealed that only a quarter of women in Britain are aware of it.
“We want to get across the message that breastfeeding is something positive that women can do to reduce their risk of breast cancer,” said Thompson.
“Because the evidence that breastfeeding reduces breast cancer risk is convincing, we recommend women should breastfeed exclusively for six months and then continue with complementary feeding after that.”
She added that although reducing your breast cancer risk by about five per cent might not sound like a big difference, the longer you breastfeed for, the more you will be reducing your risk.
“So if a woman breastfeeds two or more children for at least six months each, it is clear they can make a significant impact on their cancer risk, not to mention all the other benefits of breastfeeding,” she added.
How Breastfeeding Reduces Cancer Risk
Breastfeeding lowers the levels of some cancer-related hormones in the mother’s body, reducing the risk of breast cancer.
Plus, at the end of breastfeeding, the body gets rid of any cells in the breast that may have DNA damage. This reduces the risk of breast cancer developing in the future.
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Research shows that babies who are breastfed are less likely to consume too many calories and too much protein than babies who are fed infant formula. This means they are less likely to become overweight or obese as they grow up.
There is convincing scientific evidence that excess body fat increases the risk of at least six types of cancer. These are bowel cancer, post-menopausal breast cancer, endometrial cancer, kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer and cancer of the oesophagus.
To find out more about breast cancer and how you can reduce your risk, Click Here: Breast Cancer Information
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