Just one alcoholic drink a day increases breast cancer risk, report finds

Drinking less than half an ounce of alcohol everyday can significantly increase the risk of breast cancer for women, according to a new report.

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) reviewed the impact of diet, lifestyle and weight on breast cancer risks in women. Researchers reviewed 119 studies, data on 12 million women and 260,000 breast cancer cases and found "strong evidence" linking breast cancer risk with alcohol consumption.

According to the report, "Drinking the equivalent of a small glass of wine or beer a day increases pre-menopausal breast cancer risk by five percent and post-menopausal breast cancer risk by nine percent."

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates a standard drink contains .6 ounces of alcohol - roughly twice the .35 ounce amount linked to breast cancer risk by the AICR.

The research institute also estimates "one in three breast cancer cases in the United States could be prevented if women were physically active and stayed a healthy weight."