In the pursuit of reducing weight and potentially lowering cancer risk, the importance of dietary choices outshines exercise, according to researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
This insight emerged from a recent study involving overweight and obese women, where significant weight loss and decreased levels of cancer-associated proteins were achieved through calorie reduction, dietary improvements, or a combination of both.
Contrary to expectations, women who solely engaged in exercise without altering their calorie intake experienced minimal reductions in weight or the targeted proteins, as reported in the study published in the journal Cancer Research.
The study, led by Catherine Duggan and senior author Anne McTiernan, investigated 439 women aged 50 to 75 from the Seattle area. The participants were categorized into four groups: exercise only, diet only, exercise plus diet, or no change in health habits. The focus was on women who were sedentary, postmenopausal, and overweight or obese, yet otherwise healthy.
The researchers examined three proteins—VEGF, PAI-1, and PEDF—associated with angiogenesis, the process of forming new blood vessels, which plays roles in wound healing and tumor growth. The study discovered that adhering to caloric restriction, lower-fat eating, or a combination of diet and exercise led to significant reductions in these proteins.
Dietitians supported the women in making dietary improvements, incorporating more fruits and vegetables, practicing portion control, weighing daily, and maintaining food journals.
While the study doesn’t definitively conclude that weight loss and lower angiogenesis-related proteins directly reduce cancer risk, it contributes to a growing body of evidence linking obesity to elevated levels of certain proteins associated with higher cancer risks.
The National Cancer Institute and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation provided funding for the research. The authors suggest that sedentary, older adults who are overweight could take these findings as motivation to enhance their diets and engage in more cardiovascular activities.
Anne McTiernan emphasized that adults with a stable and healthy body mass index (BMI) below 25 need not restrict calories. She reiterated that regardless of weight loss goals, exercise yields numerous health benefits, while diet remains the most effective approach for weight management.
