Eating low-fat dairy products may reduce the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, US research has suggested.
Researchers from the American Cancer Society questioned 68,000 postmenopausal women about their dietary habits.
The study found women who consumed two or more servings of low-fat dairy products per day had up to 20 per cent lower risk of postmenopausal breast cancer compared to those reporting the lowest intake.
The association was slightly stronger among women with estrogen-receptor positive tumors, the most common type.
Previous studies have found that dairy products have paradoxical effects on breast cancer risk because they contain both potentially protective compounds, like calcium and vitamin D, and compounds that may increase the risk of cancer, such as hormones and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I).
"Our findings suggests that dairy products, composed mainly of low-fat sources, or some component within these foods are associated with a small but significantly lower risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women," said lead researcher Marji McCullough.
However, McCullough says women should be careful how they interpret the study.
"It is important to keep in mind that some dairy products, like whole milk and many types of cheese have a lot of saturated fat, which we know can increase the risk of heart disease and possibly other cancers," she said.
"Also, many dairy products have growth factors such as insulin-like growth factor I, which have been shown to promote breast cancer cell growth. More study is needed before we can make concrete recommendations."
The study is published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention.
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