White women who eat meat can be at higher risk for breast cancer than black women, a new study says.

"Most breast cancer studies have been conducted in [white] women," said senior study author Dr. Elisa Bandera, an epidemiologist at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, in a news release.

The study included 976 black women and 873 white women with breast cancer, and 1,165 black women and 865 white women without cancer.

Meat consumption among white women, especially those who hadn't hit menopause, was associated with higher risk for breast cancer. No such increase in risk was found in black women.

"This research supports encouraging Caucasian women to limit their intake of both red meat and poultry in order to reduce their risk of breast cancer, which is in line with the AICR's recommendation of limiting red meat intake to less than 500 grams (nearly 18 ounces) per week," said lead author, Urmila Chandran, from The Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

The study found and association between meat consumption and breast cancer risk, not a cause and effect relation, and will be presented at 2012 American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) Annual Research Conference in Washington, D.C.

An estimated 226,870 women will develop breast cancer in the year 2012, according to National Cancer institute. Risk factors for breast cancer include gender, age and menstrual cycle, along with certain genetic mutations.