June, 2007: Physical Activity Coupled with High Fruit and Vegetable Intake May Improve Breast Cancer Survival

According to the results of a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, breast cancer survivors who engage in regular physical activity and eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables have a significantly reduced risk of death. The benefit of the healthy behaviors applied to both obese and non-obese women. Several studies have evaluated the effects of either physical activity or diet on breast cancer survival, but there is little information about the effects of combining healthy behaviors. To explore how interactions among diet, physical activity, and obesity influence survival after breast cancer, researchers evaluated information from close to 1,500 women with early breast cancer (Stage I to Stage III). The women were an average of two years beyond their breast cancer diagnosis at the time of the study.