The mediating roles of anthropo-metabolic biomarkers on the association between beverage consumption and breast cancer risk

Abstract

Abstract Background Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy in women, yet the role of beverage consumption in BC risk remains unclear. Additionally, the contribution of anthropo-metabolic biomarkers as mediators is unknown, limiting the development of effective prevention strategies. Methods This study included 13,567 participants from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study (GBCS), where beverage consumption was assessed at baseline using a food frequency questionnaire. BC cases were identified through cancer registry linkage over a mean follow-up of 14.8 years. Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were performed to evaluate the causal effects of beverage consumption on BC risk, with a two-step MR approach used to estimate mediation effects. Results During follow-up, 243 BC cases were identified. Weekly consumption of ≥ 1 portion of sugar sweetened beverages (SSB), versus 6 portions of dairy-based milk was associated with a non-significantly higher BC risk (HR 1.41, 95% CI 0.99–2.03), while 3–6 portions of soy milk were associated with a lower BC risk (HR 0.31, 95% CI 0.10–0.98). No significant associations were found for pure fruit juice, coffee, tea, or alcoholic drinks. MR analyses supported the detrimental effect of SSB on BC risk, with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, polyunsaturated fatty acids to total fatty acids (TFAs) ratio, and omega-6 fatty acids to TFAs ratio mediating 2.44%, 2.73%, and 3.53% of the association, respectively. Conclusion This study suggested that SSB consumption was a risk factor for BC and identified key anthropo-metabolic biomarkers mediating this relationship. Reducing SSB consumption and addressing associated metabolic pathways may offer effective strategies for BC prevention.

Keywords

• Beverage consumption
• Breast cancer prevention
• Anthropo-metabolic biomarkers
• Mediation
• Sugar sweetened beverages