Aside from its other benefits, researchers at The Miriam Hospital report that an olive oil-enriched diet produced greater weight loss in breast cancer survivors than a traditional low-fat diet. The findings are significant because excess weight, or weight gain during treatment, is associated with an increased risk of cancer recurrence, especially in post-menopausal women. The findings, reported in the June issue of the Journal of Women's Health, found that 80% of women on the plant-based olive oil diet lost more than 5% of their baseline weight, compared to 31% on a traditional low-fat diet. Additionally, more women preferred the olive oil diet to the traditional low-fat one. Said lead study author Mary Flynn, PhD, RD, LDN: "It was important for us to compare these two diets and determine which one the women not only enjoyed following, but also produced the best weight loss, because that's the diet they're more likely to stick with." Extra virgin olive oil has been associated with decreased breast cancer risk in Greece, Spain and Italy, where it is widely consumed. The National Cancer Institute recommends lowering dietary fat to prevent breast cancer. For the full article go to www.lifespan.org/tmh/news. From www.lifespan.org | 
