Compliance with the WCRF/AICR Recommendations in Qualitative Adaptation and the Occurrence of Breast Cancer: A Case-Control Study

Beata Stasiewicz; Lidia Wadolowska; Maciej Biernacki; Malgorzata Anna Slowinska; Ewa Stachowska

doi:10.3390/cancers16020468

Compliance with the WCRF/AICR Recommendations in Qualitative Adaptation and the Occurrence of Breast Cancer: A Case-Control Study

Cancers (Basel). 2024 Jan 22;16(2):468. doi: 10.3390/cancers16020468.

Authors

Beata Stasiewicz¹, Lidia Wadolowska¹, Maciej Biernacki², Malgorzata Anna Slowinska¹, Ewa Stachowska³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Food Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Sloneczna 45f, 10-718 Olsztyn, Poland.
² Department of General and Minimally Invasive Surgery, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-045 Olsztyn, Poland.
³ Department of Human Nutrition and Metabolomics, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland.

PMID: 38275908
DOI: 10.3390/cancers16020468

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the study was twofold: (1) the qualitative adaptation of the 2018 WCRF/AICR (QAd-WCRF/AICR) score, and (2) the assessment of the association between the level of compliance with the WCRF/AICR recommendations and the occurrence of breast cancer in peri- and postmenopausal women.

Methods: This case-control study involved 420 women, aged 40-79 years, from northeastern Poland, including 190 newly diagnosed breast cancer cases. Data related to the WCRF/AICR recommendations were collected in face-to-face interviews with 409 women, including 179 women with breast cancer. The frequency of food consumption data were collected using the FFQ-6^® and KomPAN^® questionnaires. Body weight, height, and waist circumference were measured. The QAd-WCRF/AICR score (range: 0-8 points) was calculated on the basis of eight components, including two components from to the WCRF/AICR recommendations: (1) body mass index (BMI), and (2) waist circumference, with six components expressed qualitatively: (3) overall physical activity, as well as the frequency of the consumption of (4) vegetables/fruits/whole grains/nuts/seeds/legumes, (5) highly processed foods, including fast foods/sweets/instant soups, (6) red/processed meat, (7) sweetened/energy drinks, and (8) alcohol. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the occurrence of breast cancer.

Results: The moderate (4-5 points) and maximal (6-8 points) compliance with the qualitative adaptation of the WRCF/AICR recommendations reduced the odds of breast cancer by 54% and 72%, respectively, compared to the results noted for minimal compliance (≤3 points). Lower odds of breast cancer were associated with moderate or high physical activity, consumption of a minimum of four serving per day of vegetables/fruits/whole grains/nuts/seeds/legumes, and limiting the consumption of highly processed food/fast foods and red/processed meat to a maximum of 1-3 times/month. Higher odds of breast cancer were associated with a higher waist circumference and alcohol abstinence.

Conclusions: These findings may prove useful in establishing cancer prevention recommendations based on simple suggestions regarding the frequency of food consumption.

Keywords: WCRF/AICR; breast cancer; diet; prevention; recommendations; women.

Grants and funding

(Project number: WNoZ 330-01/S/2022)./This research was funded by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education. This research was funded by the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Poland