DASH accordance of breast cancer survivors in the Diet, Activity and Lifestyle (DiAL) study

Few groups have investigated whether diets of breast cancer survivors comply with the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) guidelines. In a cross‐sectional study, 58 female breast cancer survivors (aged 53 ± 8 years) completed a 45‐ item questionnaire on knowledge of American Cancer Society dietary guidelines, risk perception for recurrence, and physical activity and an online food frequency questionnaire (Vioscreen, version 2.5, Viocare, Inc., Princeton, NJ) A 10‐item modified DASH score was calculated. Average DASH score was 4.1 ±1.5 with a range from 2 to 7. Vegetable (60%) and sweets (63%) had the highest proportion of perfect scores; legumes and nuts(10%) had the lowest. Those who were DASH accordant were more likely to report more vegetable servings/day (2.7 ±1.5 vs 1.6 ±1.3, p=0.01, accordant vs. non‐accordant), more fruit servings/day (3.1 ±1.1 vs 1.3 ±1.0, p<0.0001), more dietary fiber/day (28.4±10.1 vs 22.4 ±1.1 vs 9.9 g, p=0.05) and lower BMI (24.1±1.1 vs 29.2 ±7.1 kg/m 2 , p=0.01). Those with higher perceived risk for recurrence were less likely to be DASH accordant (p=0.004). Greater efforts to increase compliance to the DASH dietary guidelines are needed.