Pacific Islands Cohort on Cardiometabolic Health - Para Famalao’an Lina’la Un’ Sabes (PICCAH-PLUS): A study on breast cancer risk in Guam.

Title

Pacific Islands Cohort on Cardiometabolic Health - Para Famalao’an Lina’la Un’ Sabes (PICCAH-PLUS): A study on breast cancer risk in Guam.

Subject

Breast cancer—Guam
Dietary fats—Health aspects
Nutrition—Guam
Public health—Guam
Epidemiology—Guam

Description

For over three decades, breast cancer in Guam has been the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Research has found that poor diet and nutrition increases breast cancer risk; however, modifiable lifestyle risk factors and environmental exposures can reduce cancer risk by up to 30-40%. Dietary intake of whole fruits, non-starchy vegetables, and dairy foods can protect against breast cancer. Therefore, this study aimed to identify dietary factors that may reduce breast cancer risk among women who participated in the Pacific Islands Cohort of Cardiometabolic Health (PICCAH) study in Guam. A cross-sectional study design used self-reported health and lifestyle data to calculate breast cancer risk using the BRISK Model score developed with women in the Marianas. PICCAH women completed the Marianas Food Frequency Questionnaire. Diet quality was calculated using the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) and intake of total (whole) fruit, total vegetable, and dairy were determined. Five-year breast cancer risk was stratified to low-risk (<1.67%) and high-risk (>.67%) with the BRISK Model. Chi-square tests were conducted to determine differences between low- and high-risk. An ANOVA was used to test the association between the HEI-2015 and BRISK scores among different demographic characteristics. There were no significant correlations between diet quality or dietary components and breast cancer risk among women in Guam; however, income and age were dependent factors to breast cancer risk. Women who were older had higher breast cancer risk. Women who had higher income had significantly better diet quality, yet a higher absolute risk for breast cancer. Diet quality was also significantly better among women who breastfed a child compared to women who did not. These results can shape community programs for women in Guam.

Creator

Elaine De Leon

Publisher

University of Guam

Date

May 2024

Contributor

Tanisha F. Aflague, PhD, RDN, Chair
Rachael T. Leon Guerrero, PhD, RDN, Member
Grazyna L. Badowski, PhD, Member

Rights

Academic use permitted with proper attribution to author. Permission required for other uses, reproduction, or distribution.

Format

PDF

Language

en

Type

Thesis Manuscript

Identifier

SP 2024 Thesis_DeLeon E_Pacific Islands Cohort

Citation

Elaine De Leon, “Pacific Islands Cohort on Cardiometabolic Health - Para Famalao’an Lina’la Un’ Sabes (PICCAH-PLUS): A study on breast cancer risk in Guam.,” University of Guam Digital Archives and Exhibitions, accessed November 14, 2024, https://uogguafak.omeka.net/items/show/9332.