Boston (SmartAboutHealth) - A new study has revealed that teenage girls who drink too much alcohol can greatly increase their risk of breast cancer and other breast-related health issues as they enter adulthood.

The new study was carried out by a team of researchers led by Catherine Berkley from Harvard Medical School, and is called the “Prospective Study of Adolescent Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Benign Breast Disease in Young Women.”

The study was conducted by looking at roughly 7,000 women, following them starting from when they were between 9 and 15 years-old.

This was done from 1996 through 2001, as the women were asked to answer questions about their drinking habits.

The questions were given in 3 different sets, in 2003, 2005, as well as again in 2007.

What researchers found was that there was a direct link between the amount of alcohol the girls consumed, and their overall risk of develing benign breast disease (BDD).

BDD is an indicator of a very high risk of developing breast cancer.

Out of the roughly 7,000 women, there were 147 who stated that they developed the disease.

Those girls who consumed high levels of alcohol, drinking 6 days a week or more, had the highest risk of developing the disease.

What researchers concluded is that women could greatly reduce their risk of breast problems later in life by drinking less alcohol.

The study has been published in the journal Pediatrics.