Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in China. Hence, how best to live with and improve the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of this growing population of women is thus becoming of great public health importance. The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship of lifestyle habits to HRQoL among younger and older women who were initially diagnosed with breast cancer within the first two weeks, determine the contribution of lifestyle habits factors on HRQoL.Methods: A multi-center, hospital-based, case control study was conducted among breast cancer women from 22 hospitals in 11 provinces or municipalities in northern and eastern China from April 2012 to April 2013. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast Cancer (FACT-B) simplified Chinese version 4 was used to measure HRQoL. Chi-square test, ANOVA and Multivariable generalized linear models were conducted to verify differences in HRQoL between two groups and to evaluate the contribution of lifestyle habits factors ( including smoking, passive smoking, alcohol intake, Tea, Coffee, Sleep satisfaction, Current life satisfaction, Physical activity, BMI) on HRQoL of breast cancer patients.Results: 1199 eligible breast cancer patients were used for analysis. Younger women (age < 50 years) appeared to show lower scores than older women (age ≥ 50 years) in HRQoL subscales including emotional well being (p = 0.003), functional well being (p = 0.006), breast cancer subscale (p = 0.038), and FACT-B Total scores (p = 0.028). Tea and alcohol consumption, very satisfied with sleep and current life were the strongest predictors of higher HRQoL in younger group. Meanwhile, no coffee consumption, frequent participation in physical activities, high sleep satisfaction and current life satisfaction were the key predictors of higher HRQoL in older breast cancer women.Conclusion: The relationship of the nine lifestyle habit items to HRQoL were different between younger and older women. Associated variable of low HRQoL can help clinicians take intervention early in order to improve the prognosis of breast cancer patients.