October brings a deluge of pink products to our shelves and newsfeeds—from pink Cosmos, pink strawberry daiquiris, and pink champagne to pink cupcakes with a generous topping of pink buttercream icing.
While purporting to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer, products in every shade of pink, such as cocktails with enticing names and mouth-watering sugary treats, are actually raising our risk for breast cancer, not helping the cause. These are prime examples of “pinkwashing,” a term coined by Breast Cancer Action to draw attention to companies that sell pink products with precisely the ingredients that are established risk factors for breast cancer.
One in eight women in the US will get breast cancer in their lifetime. While early detection is critical and can lead to early treatment, we often neglect how we can prevent cancer in the first place. Cancer is a multifactorial disease and many risk factors for cancer are beyond our control, including our genetics and family history. But among risk factors that we can control, aside from smoking cigarettes—a well-known risk factor for many cancers- two important leading risk factors are obesity and alcohol.
Many Americans reach for a glass of beer or wine without too much thought. Even though most of us understand that drinking alcohol can be harmful, less than half of Americansare aware of the link between alcohol and cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research’s Continuous Update Project shows that even small amounts of alcohol—less than one drink per day—can increase the risk of breast cancer. However, the less alcohol you consume, the lower your risk for cancer will be. According to the World Health Organization, simply reducing your alcohol consumption can bring down your risk for breast cancer.
Moreover, obesity is closely linked with cancer. With over 70% of the US population being overweight or obese, the risk for breast cancer persists. Therefore, indulging in sweet treats may increase the risk for breast cancer.
Given this, it’s important to understand what happens inside our bodies when we consume alcohol and refined sugar – and how they raise our risk for cancer. With alcohol, several factors seem to drive this risk. When the body metabolizes a glass of wine or a cocktail, it creates a chemical called acetaldehyde that is thought to be a carcinogen. Acetaldehyde can damage DNA, leading to mutations that can increase the risk for cancer. Moreover, alcohol raises levels of estrogen in the blood, and high levels of estrogen have been linked to an increased risk for breast cancer.
As for sugar, studies addressing multiple cancers show that diets high in sucrose or fructose activate several pathways related to inflammation, glucose, and lipids that can accelerate the growth of cancerous cells. In addition, research shows that consuming sugary foods can lead to consuming more calories and glucose than the body needs, which can result in weight gain, increasing the risk for cancer, including of the breast. Women who are obese tend to have higher estrogen levels and blood insulin levels, both of which raise the risk for breast cancer.
So why do we endorse pink ribbon campaigns that sell such products in the name of breast cancer awareness? The evidence is clear that alcohol in any form, sugary foods, and sugary beverages can all increase the risk of breast cancer. Therefore, a greater awareness of the harmful impact of these products is warranted. But especially during the month of October, a serious commitment to breast cancer prevention might include warning messages regarding its carcinogenic potential on these products, such as we see on alcohol bottles in other countries, and clearer labels on the detrimental role of sugary foods on health. Another good measure would be to allow national and international cancer authorities to have more oversight of promotional campaigns for breast cancer. But in the meantime, Rethink your Pink in honor of women!