As a woman, you owe it to yourself to learn as much as you can about the risk factors for breast cancer. You can start by getting on the scale.

How does your current weight compare to your weight at age 18? If you’ve gained more than 55 pounds, your risk for breast cancer is 45 percent greater than that of someone who maintained her weight, according to a study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Researchers determined that weight gained after age 18 – especially after menopause – increased a woman’s risk for breast cancer. The study also revealed that losing weight after menopause reduced it. This is another example of how hormones play a role in breast cancer risk. Estrogen is a hormone known to speed up the growth of some breast cancers. After menopause, less ovarian estrogen circulates in the body and the primary source of estrogen becomes fatty tissue storage. Weight loss is therefore thought to decrease the risk of the disease.

Among the easiest things to control are what you eat and drink and how active you are. Here are some strategies that may help you decrease your risk of breast cancer:

Talk to your doctor about your other risk factors, including age, family history, genetics, race and reproductive and menstrual history. Don’t forget your monthly self-breast exams and, if you are over 40, annual mammograms.