First things first: obesity is bad for you.
But now, the good news: research from Harvard Medical School is showing that women who are heavier as young adults have a lower risk of developing breast cancer before they hit menopause.
More bad news? After menopause, that extra weight can be one of the strongest indicators of breast cancer looming in your future. Research shows that postmenopausal women can reduce their risk of breast cancer by losing weight. Postmenopausal women can have a very hard time losing weight — even more bad news.
The Harvard Medical School research helps confirm previous research that suggested that larger body size in your pre-menopause days can help reduce your risk of developing breast cancer. As body mass index (BMI) goes up, breast cancer risk goes down. Why? Some experts suggest that the higher BMI leads to irregularities in the menstrual cycles and other problems with ovulation. Ovulation problems usually mean lower levels of hormones like estrogen and progesterone. Low levels of sex hormones have been associated with a lowered risk of breast cancer. The Harvard research doesn’t come up with an exact explanation for the youth weight/breast cancer link.
More than 113,000 women participated in the study. Participants were watched by researchers starting in 1989 and until 2003, or until they developed cancer or reached menopause.
Women with a BMI of 30 or higher (considered obese) had a 19 percent lower chance of breast cancer compared with women with normal BMIs (between 20 and 22.5). Women with a BMI of 27.5 or higher (considered overweight) had a 43 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer compared with women with normal BMIs. In other words, a few extra pounds can help protect a woman from breast cancer earlier in life.
Calculate your BMI at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Learn more about Body Mass Index.
More information about breast cancer.