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Preventing breast cancer

As the causes of breast cancer aren't fully understood, at the moment it's not possible to know if it can be prevented. If you're at increased risk of developing the condition, some treatments are available to reduce the risk. Studies have looked at the link between breast cancer and diet. Although there are no definite conclusions, there are benefits for women who: maintain a healthy weight exercise regularly have a low intake of saturated fat and alcohol It's been suggested that regular exercise can reduce your risk of breast cancer by as much as a third. Regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle can also improve the outlook for people affected by breast cancer. If you've been through the menopause, it's particularly important that you're not overweight or obese. This is because being overweight or obese causes more oestrogen to be produced, which can increase the risk of breast cancer.

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