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. 2025 Jul 22;64(5):245.
doi: 10.1007/s00394-025-03755-1.

High dietary total energy intake and energy density are associated with girls' breast density during puberty

C Carrasco  1 , M L Garmendia  1 , A Martínez-Arroyo  2 , J S Shepherd  3 , A Pereira  4
Affiliations

High dietary total energy intake and energy density are associated with girls' breast density during puberty

C Carrasco et al. Eur J Nutr. .

Abstract

Purpose: Breast density (BD) is an important risk factor for breast cancer (BC). Excessive caloric intake in adulthood is associated with an increased risk of BC and BD in adults. We aim to assess whether high total energy intake and energy density in the diet during puberty is associated with breast composition (% fibroglandular volume (%FGV) and absolute fibroglandular volume (AFGV) in girls two years after menarche onset independently of body size.

Methods: Longitudinal study within the "Chilean Growth and Obesity Study". Total energy intake (TEI), dietary energy density (ED), and calories from foods with high energy density (FHED) were assessed in 369 girls by 24 h dietary recall (24 h), available from puberty until 2 years after menarche onset. Breast composition was measured through Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry.

Results: The 17.1% of the girls were classified as obese. The mean reported of TEI was 1755 kcal/d (SD = 371 kcal), ED 1.03 kcal/g (SD = 0.18 kcal/g), and FHED 1042.2 kcal/d (SD = 294.7). The 4th quartiles of TEI and FHED were positively associated with %FGV (Q4 vs. Q1: ß = 0.08 (95%CI 0.02; 0.16) and ß = 0.10 (95%CI 0.03; 0.17), respectively). In the case of AFGV we observed a positive association between the 4th quartile of TEI, ED and FHED (Q4 vs. Q1: ß = 0.14 (95%CI 0.02; 0.26), 0.12 (95%CI 0.004; 0.24) and ß = 0.17 (95%CI 0.05; 0.29) respectively.

Conclusions: This is the first study to suggest an association between high energy dense foods and total energy intake during puberty and adolescent breast density. Further research is warranted to elucidate these associations across different life stages and underlying mechanisms.

Keywords: Adolescence; Breast cancer; Breast density; Energy intake; Puberty.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest. Ethical approval: This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the INTA ethics committee. All of the girls signed an assent (minors), and their guardian approved the study by signing an informed consent form to participate.

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