English Breakfast Could Be Killing You

According to researchers at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, women who regularly eat fried 'English Breakfasts', or who drink lots of piping hot tea could be at increased risk of developing oesophageal cancer.

Researchers studied the lifestyle and habits of 159 women with sqamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus, which is three times more common in UK women as most European countries.

Women who ate a traditional breakfast were found to be twice as likely to develop the cancer as women who ate a lighter breakfast. Furthermore, women who ate a no breakfast at all were at even greater risk. Researchers speculated that a light breakfast could help ease "gastric reflux", a form of chronic indigestion where stomach acids are brought up into the throat. Not eating, or eating fried, greasy foods could aggravate the condition, which may lead to increased risk of oesophageal cancer.

Meanwhile, women who preferred steaming tea were also at increased risk.

"Scalding hot drinks may burn the inside of the food pipe, causing damage which in time could increase the risk of cancer," according to Dr Linda Sharp of the university of Aberdeen.

Dr Gordon McVie, Director General of Britain's Cancer Research Campaign commented "By eating a healthy breakfast, leaving hot drinks to cool for a while before drinking, and of course resisting the temptation to smoke, women can substantially reduce their risks of developing oesophageal cancer".

Saturday, 2 February 2002