Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Self-reported physical and emotional health of women in a low- fat, high-carbohydrate dietary trial (Canada)

  • Published:
Cancer Causes & Control Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives: While decreased intake of dietary fat may have significant positive effects on women's health by reducing the risk of cancer and other diseases, little research has been carried out to determine the potential adverse effects of dietary fat reduction. This study compares the self-reported physical and emotional health of 402 low fat intervention and control group participants in the Canadian Diet and Breast Cancer Prevention Trial.

Methods: Subjects who had been participating in the dietary intervention trial for at least 2 years completed 3 mailed questionnaires: two designed to assess physical and emotional health (MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ)) and a Health Practices Survey.

Results: There were no significant differences between the study groups on total scores or any of the subscales/health domains for the SF-36 or the WHQ. In premenopausal women only, intervention group subjects scored significantly lower on the vasomotor symptoms scale, indicating less symptom experience. Frequency of visits to physicians and alternative health practitioners were not significantly different between the study groups.

Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that participation in a low-fat, high-carbohydrate dietary intervention did not have any detrimental effects on participants'; self-reported physical health or emotional well-being.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Prentice RL, Kakar F, Hursting S, Sheppard L, Klein R, Kushi LH. Aspects of the rationale for the women's health trial. J Natl Cancer Inst 1988; 80: 802–14.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Buell P. Changing incidence of breast cancer in Japanese-American women. J Natl Cancer Inst 1973; 51: 1479–83.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Committee on Diet NaCAoLSNRC. Diet, Nutrition and Cancer. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1982: 374–6.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Freedman LS, Clifford C, Messina M. Analysis of dietary fat, calories, body weight and the development of mammary tumours in rats and mice: a review. Cancer Res 1990; 50: 5710–9.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Welsch CW. Relationship between dietary fat and experimental mammary tumorigenesis-A review and critique. Cancer Res 1992; 52: S2040–8.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Boyd NF, Martin LJ, Noffel M, Lockwood GA, Tritchler DL. A meta-analysis of studies of dietary fat and breast cancer risk. Br J Cancer 1993; 68: 627–36.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Hunter DJ, Spiegelman D, Adami HO, Beeson L, van denBrandt PA, Folsom AR, Fraser GE, Goldbohm A, Graham S, Howe GR, Kushi LH, Marshall JR, McDermott A, Miller AB, Speizer FE, Wolk A, Yaun SS, Willett W. Cohort studies of fat intake and the risk of breast cancer-a pooled analysis. N Engl J Med 1996; 334: 356–61.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Goodwin P, Boyd NF. Critical appraisal of the evidence that dietary fat intake is related to breast cancer risk in humans. J Natl Cancer Inst 1987; 79: 473–85.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Boyd NF, Fishell E, Jong R, MacDonald JC, Sparrow RK, Simor IS, Kriukov V, Lockwood G, Tritchler D. Mammographic densities as a criterion for entry to a clinical trial of breast cancer prevention. Br J Cancer 1995; 72: 476–9.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Kaplan JR, Manuck SB, Shively C. The effects of fat and cholesterol on social behavior in monkeys. Psychosom Med 1991; 53: 634–42.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Muldoon MF, Manuck SB, Matthews KA. Lowering cholesterol concentrations and mortality: a quantitative review of primary prevention trials. Br Med J 1990; 301: 309–14.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Bowen DJ, Kestin M, McTiernan A, Carrell D, Green P. Effects of dietary fat intervention on mental health in women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 1995; 4: 555–9.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Weider G, Connor SL, Hollis JF, Connor WE. Improvements in hostility and depression in relation to dietary change and cholesterol lowering. Ann Intern Med 1992; 117: 820–3.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Boyd NF, Cousins M, Beaton M, Kruikov V, Lockwood G, Tritchler D. Quantitative changes in dietary fat intake and serum cholesterol in women: results from a randomized, controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr 1990; 52: 470–6.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Boyd NF, Lockwood GA, Greenberg CV, Martin LJ, Tritchler DL. Effects of a low-fat high-carbohydrate diet on plasma sex hormones in premenopausal women: results from a randomized controlled trial. Br J Cancer 1997; 76: 127–35.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Boyd NF, Greenberg C, Lockwood G, Little L, Martin L, Byng J, Yaffe M, Tritchler D. Effects at two years of a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet on radiologic features of the breast: Results from a randomized trial. J Natl Cancer Inst 1997; 89: 488–96.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Ware JE, Snow KK, Kosinski M, Gandek B. SF-36 Health Survey Manual and Interpretation Guide. Boston: The Health Institute, New England Medical Centre Hospitals, 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  18. McHorney CA, Ware JE, Raczek AE. The MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36): II. Psychometric and clinical tests of validity in measuring physical and mental constructs. Med Care 1993; 31: 247–63.

    Google Scholar 

  19. McHorney CA, Ware JE, Lu JFR, Donald-Sherbourne C. The MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36): III. Tests of data quality, scaling assumptions, and reliability across diverse patient groups. Med Care 1994; 32: 40–66.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Hunter M. The Women's Health Questionnaire: a measure of mid-aged women's perceptions of their emotional and physical health. Psych Health 1992; 7: 45–54.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Dillman DA. Mail and Telephone Surveys: The Total Design Method. New York: Wiley, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Boyd NF, McGuire V, Shannon P, Cousins M, Kruikov V, Mahoney L, Fish E, Lickley L, Lockwood G, Tritchler D. The effect of a low fat, high carbohydrate diet on symptoms of cyclical mastopathy. Lancet 1988; ii: 128–32.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Ginsburg ES. Hot flashes-physiology, hormonal therapy, and alternative therapies. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am 1994; 21: 381–90.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Guthrie JR, Dennerstein L, Hopper JL, Burger HG. Hot flushes, menstrual status, and hormone levels in a population-based sample of midlife women. Obstet Gynecol 1996; 88: 437–42.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Murkies AL, Lombard C, Strauss BJG, Wilcox G, Burger HG, Morton MS. Dietary flour supplementation decreases post-menopausal hot flushes: effect of soy and wheat. Maturitas 1995; 21: 189–95.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Wells AS, Read NW, Laugharne JDE, Ahluwalia NS. Alterations in mood after changing to a low-fat diet. Br J Nutr 1998; 79: 23–30.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Sutherland HJ, Carlin K, Harper W, Martin LJ, Greenberg CV, Till JE, Boyd NF. A study of diet and breast cancer prevention in Canada: why healthy women participate in controlled trials. Cancer Causes Control 1993; 4: 521–8.

    Google Scholar 

  28. House JS, Landis KR, Umberson D. Social relationships and health. Science 1988; 241: 540–5.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Glaser R. Psychoneuroimmunology: can psychological interventions modulate immunity? J Consult Clin Psychol 1992; 60: 569–75.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Millar WJ. Use of alternative health care practitioners by Canadians. Can J Public Health 1997; 88: 154–8.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Epidemiology and Statistics, Ontario Cancer Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    JoAnna Leyenaar, Heather J. Sutherland, Gina A. Lockwood, Lisa J. Martin, Valentina Kriukov, Cary V. Greenberg & Norman F. Boyd

Authors
  1. JoAnna Leyenaar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Heather J. Sutherland
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Gina A. Lockwood
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Lisa J. Martin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Valentina Kriukov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Cary V. Greenberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Norman F. Boyd
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Leyenaar, J., Sutherland, H.J., Lockwood, G.A. et al. Self-reported physical and emotional health of women in a low- fat, high-carbohydrate dietary trial (Canada). Cancer Causes Control 9, 601–610 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008827428524

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008827428524

Search

Navigation