Putting on weight as you get older may increase your risk of breast cancer

I don't know about everyone else out there but I think that the amount of factors that can potentially lead to breast cancer are pretty scary. Things like genetics, radiation exposure, early onset of menstruation, having a first child later in life, using the birth control pill, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can all increase your chances of getting the disease.

Being overweight or obese is also a risk factor and, according to this, women who maintain a healthy weight after menopause have a lower risk of developing breast cancer than women who start out at a normal weight, but steadily put on pounds as they get older. Apparently, this increased risk was not a factor for women who took hormone replacement therapy after menopause. As the piece points out, the study helps show why it is so important to work to maintain a healthy weight as we age.