KFC has discovered a new fundraising angle to sell buckets of fried chicken. For every “Pink Bucket” sold, KFC makes a 50 cent contribution to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer.

With the current donation total at just over $860,000, the company hopes to team up with consumers to make the “largest single donation to end breast cancer forever”- $8.5 million during the month-long promotion.

Fat and Obesity Can Lead to an Increased Risk of Breast Cancer

The Susan G. Komen website has specific research about the links between numerous factors and breast cancer, including weight. "Before menopause, being overweight appears to decrease a woman's risk of getting breast cancer. After menopause, however, being overweight increases the risk by 30 to 60 percent." This doesn’t mean that weight gain is safe before menopause. "In two large studies, women were at increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer if they had gained 20 or more pounds after age 18."

KFC Buckets are High in Fat, Calories and Sodium

KFC’s Pink Buckets contain 8-20 pieces of chicken in your choice of flavor: Original Recipe, Extra Crispy, Spicy Crispy or Grilled.

The nutrition facts for each piece of chicken vary in calories and fat (the healthiest being 70 calories and 3.5g of fat in a Grilled Drumstick and the least healthy being 510 calories, 33g of fat and 1010mg of sodium in an Extra Crispy Breast piece).

The healthiest KFC bucket (8 Grilled Drumstick pieces) contains about 560 calories and 28g of fat as well as 2,000mg of sodium. A bucket meal could also contain as much as 10,200 calories, 660g of fat and 20,200mg of sodium in 20 Extra Crispy Breast pieces.

KFC Add-ons Mean Extra Calories

While some consumers may bring the meal home to a family, it’s likely that it will include a number of sides offered as a value-priced addition to the buckets (mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, corn, etc).

The healthiest of the sides (individual portion) are the green beans with 20 calories and 0g of fat and the least healthy are the potato wedges 260 calories and 13g of fat.

Many KFC restaurants offer a ½ gallon of sweet icetea to take home with your meal or a 64-oz-size drink, potentially tacking on an additional 800-900 calories.

The most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests no more than 2,300 mg daily of sodium on a 2,000-calorie daily intake. (The amount of fat suggested daily varies from person to person. For a personalized plan, visit MyPyramid.gov)

Diabetes Also Linked to Fast Food Intake

According to the National Diabetes Education Program, Type 2 diabetes was once most common among people who were older than age 45. Now many young people, including children, have the disease due to being overweight or obese. Diabetes can also lead to problems such as heart disease, stroke, vision loss, kidney disease, and nerve damage.

"Studies show that people at high risk for diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of the disease by losing 5 to 7 percent of their weight, if they are overweight—that’s 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person." (National Diabetes Education Program.)

Before you choose to consume a KFC bucket yourself, or bring one home to your family, remember these statistics and consider one of the other many ways to support breast cancer rather than risk increasing your own chances of getting it.