New research indicates a healthy diet helps women with breast cancer live longer.

The definition of a healthy diet: a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy.

The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology and are based on 1,901 women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. Between 2000 and 2002, the women completed detailed questionnaires on their diet, exercise habits, weight and other health factors.

They were then followed for up to eight years. During that time, 226 women died, with 128 deaths attributed to breast cancer.

"Consumption of a diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and poultry, and low in red meat and refined foods may positively influence a woman's overall health and prevent other cancers and chronic diseases," says Dr. Marilyn L. Kwan, a researcher at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California.

The results are consistent with past studies suggesting that diet may be a more important factor in general health and diseases other than breast cancer than it is in breast cancer survival specifically.

Dr. Kwan's team found that women who'd reported a healthy dietary pattern at the outset had a lower overall death rate than those who'd reported a more "Western-style diet” -- one high in red and processed meats, snack foods, high-fat dairy and refined grains like white bread.

“Women living with breast cancer still want to know how they can improve their overall chances of surviving, and as our study shows, eating a more healthful diet is beneficial for overall survival," Dr. Kwan says.