Breast cancer survivors should avoid midnight snacks such as a slice of pizza, chips and salsa, or scoop of ice cream if they want to lower the risk of cancerous tumors coming back, based on a new study. It found that the rates of recurrence among early-stage breast cancer patients were one-third lower when they fasted at least 13 hours after dinner and avoided raiding the fridge following their evening meal.         

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The study was published on March 31, Thursday in the journal JAMA Oncology. It analyzed data from more than 400 women between the ages of 27 and 70 after they received an early-stage breast cancer diagnosis.

Researchers then tracked the women's medical data. They learned that around seven years later 390 of the cancer survivors got tumors again.  

The study's volunteers who stopped eating for less than 13 hours each night had a 36 higher risk of breast cancer recurrence compared to those who fasted at night, according to Tech Times.  

In addition, the study discovered that women who fasted for short amounts of time had a 20 percent greater risk of death, according to Daily Mail. However, it is not clear if there is a cause and effect relationship.

The study's authors share that avoiding midnight snacks could be an easy and non-drug method for lowering the risk of breast cancer returning. They learned that the subjects' blood sugar measurement called glycated hemoglobin dropped every two hours during night fasting, while their amount of sleep rose.

A past study also learned that all-night fasts were linked to worse blood sugar control. In addition, experiments done on mice discovered that long periods of fasting during sleep can protect against symptoms of high-fat diets including weight gain.

Professor Ruth Patterson noted that if future studies verify that long evening fasting boosts metabolic health it could help to lower the risk of various conditions. That includes type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.

In related news a new study published in the journal The Lancet reveals that there are now more obese people than underweight people in the world. During the past four decades obesity rates have increased 2.6 times.

Here are some tips for preventing breast cancer: