Obesity and Breast Cancer Risk in Post-Menopausal Women
Author Information
Author(s): Begum Parvin, Richardson Caroline E, Carmichael Amtul R
Primary Institution: Department of Surgery, Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley, West Midlands, UK
Hypothesis
What is the level of awareness and prevalence of obesity and physical activity among post-menopausal women with a family history of breast cancer?
Conclusion
Post-menopausal women attending family history clinics have a high prevalence of obesity and low levels of physical activity, indicating a need for patient education on healthy lifestyle choices.
Supporting Evidence
- 37% of post-menopausal women in the study were obese.
- Only 15% of post-menopausal women exercised for more than 4 hours per week.
- Two-thirds of women recognized that obesity increases breast cancer risk.
Takeaway
Many older women who are at risk for breast cancer are overweight and don't exercise enough, so they need to learn how to live healthier.
Methodology
Women completed a questionnaire about their diet and lifestyle factors, and responses were analyzed using SPSS software.
Potential Biases
Responder bias may have affected the recognition of obesity as a risk factor.
Limitations
Not all women answered all questions, and some questionnaires were excluded due to lack of data.
Participant Demographics
The majority of participants were white British women, with a mode age group over 60 years.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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