Association between dietary factors and the risk of breast cancer in menopausal women

Breast cancer represents a public health problem and is the malignant neoplasm with the highest incidence among women, especially after menopause. During this stage, hormonal changes associated with aging, combined with lifestyle factors such as diet, may influence the development of the disease. Scientific evidence indicates that inadequate dietary patterns, characterized by high consumption of ultra-processed foods, saturated fats and sugars, promote inflammatory processes, hormonal changes and oxidative stress, increasing the risk of breast carcinogenesis. Conversely, diets rich in fiber, antioxidants and unprocessed foods have a potential protective effect. In this context, the present study aimed to analyze the association between dietary factors and the risk of breast cancer in menopausal women, describing the biological mechanisms related to the action of specific nutrients, identifying dietary patterns with preventive potential and comparing aspects of diet and menopause across different regions of Brazil. This is an integrative literature review, descriptive in nature and qualitative in approach, conducted through a bibliographic search of the SciELO, PubMed, LILACS and Google Scholar databases, using studies published between 2016 and 2026 in Portuguese and English. It is expected to show that healthy dietary habits, especially those based on natural foods, fiber and dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean and DASH diets, may contribute to the modulation of inflammation, hormone metabolism and the gut microbiota, reducing the risk of breast cancer. Furthermore, it is expected to reinforce the importance of nutrition as a strategy for prevention, health promotion and improvement of the quality of life of menopausal women.