Adherence to planetary health diet and breast cancer risk: insights from a large case-control study in a low-and middle-income country setting.

Authors

Najoua Lamchabbek, Najia Mane, Siham Mrah, Abdellatif Bour, Fatima Zahra El M'rabet, Adil Najdi, Nawfel Mellas, Karima Bendahou, Saber Boutayeb, Lahcen Belyamani, Elodie Faure, Inge Huybrechts, Mohamed Khalis

Published in

BMC public health. Jul 06, 2026. Epub Jul 06, 2026.

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women worldwide. Growing evidence highlights the role of overall dietary patterns, rather than individual foods or nutrients, in modulating cancer risk. Among these, the EAT-Lancet diet, developed to promote both human and planetary health, has recently gained attention for its potential in preventing non-communicable diseases. However, its association with BC risk remains understudied, particularly in low-and middle-income countries.
We conducted a population-based matched case-control study in Morocco, including 2,800 women (1,400 incident BC cases and 1,400 matched controls by age and place of residence). Cases were newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed BC patients recruited from major oncology centers across Morocco between 2019 and 2023. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire, and an EAT-Lancet diet index (ELD-I) was developed based on the available data. Multivariable logistic regression models were applied to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for BC risk according to levels of adherence to the ELD-I with adjustments made for relevant confounding factors. Further analyses were conducted by stratifying participants according to menopausal status and body mass index (BMI) category.
Higher adherence to the ELD-I was significantly associated with reduced BC risk, for each one-point increment in adherence to the ELD-I, the odds of BC decreased by 21% overall (OR = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.77-0.82, p < 0.001). This inverse association remained consistent across subgroups defined by menopausal status and body mass index.
In this large Moroccan case-control study, greater adherence to the EAT-Lancet dietary pattern was associated with a lower risk of BC, regardless of menopausal status or BMI category. These findings support the potential role of sustainable, plant-based diets in cancer prevention and emphasize the importance of dietary recommendations adapted to local contexts.

PMID:
42410400
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 07 Jul 2026.

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