Unknown Diabetes, Hormones & Metabolism NIHR-supported project Mental Health

Testing the feasibility of a 6:1 intermittent diet breast cancer risk reduction programme to promote healthy eating and prevent weight gain in women at increased risk of breast cancer

Funder NIHR (part of DHSC)
Recipient organisation NIHR Wellcome Trust Manchester Clinical Research Facility
NIHR support Recorded as supported by this research centre
Period Jan 2025 — Ongoing

In plain English

AI plain-English summary

Thirty women at increased risk of breast cancer will try a 6:1 intermittent diet—eating normally for six days and restricting calories for one—to see if it can prevent weight gain and promote healthy eating. Weight gain in young women is a known risk factor for breast cancer and other conditions, yet no effective weight-gain prevention programmes exist for women who attend high-risk clinics. This four-month feasibility study directly addresses that gap. It will test whether the 6:1 diet is acceptable and manageable for women aged 18–40 who are currently a healthy weight, and whether it causes any harms such as binge eating or sleep disruption. If the programme proves feasible—with good uptake, retention, and diet adherence—it could provide a simple, low-cost dietary tool for reducing cancer risk in a vulnerable group. The findings will determine whether a larger trial is warranted. If successful, the approach could eventually be integrated into NHS high-risk clinics, offering women a practical way to manage weight without requiring daily calorie counting or major lifestyle upheaval. The study also measures how much dietitian time the programme requires, giving funders a clear picture of its real-world deliverability.

View original technical description
Weight gain in young women increases risk of breast cancer and other cancers and conditions. Weight gain occurs in young women attending high risk clinics and there is an unmet need for effective weight gain prevention interventions for these women. This 4 months feasibility study will test whether a novel intermittent 6:1 intermittent diet is acceptable and can promote healthy eating and limit weight gain with minimal harms in women at increased risk of breast cancer aged 18-40 who are a healthy weight. Findings will inform whether further research with the 6:1 diet is warranted The study will invite 30 women at increased risk of breast cancer to join the programme for 4 months. The study will see if the programme is manageable and acceptable by looking at numbers who join the programme, and the numbers who stay in the programme and how well they many manage to follow the diet. We will also ask women their views of being in the programme and trying to follow the diet with a feedback questionnaire. We will also look at whether the programme has any benefits for weight healthy eating, or being more active or if it has the potential to harms by increasing binge eating behaviour or impacting on sleep. Also how assess how easy the programme is to deliver and the amount of dietitian time it requires to deliver. Good uptake (>15%), retention to the programme (>70%) and diet adherence (>50% of potential low calorie days) and minimal harms (

Researchers

Michelle Harvie (Principal Investigator)

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