Obesity increases the risk of cancer

Increased cancer risk due to overweight

15.03.2012

Overweight and obesity increase the risk of cancer, the tenor at the annual congress of the German Nutrition Society. V. (DGE). Under the motto „Nutrition and Prevention - Opportunities and Limits“ numerous health risks associated with an unhealthy diet have been addressed.

In addition to the already clearly established relationships between obesity and diseases of the cardiovascular system or diabetes, the experts at the 49th Scientific Congress of the DGE at the Technical University (TU) Munich also highlight the increasingly obvious effects of obesity on cancer risk. In addition, Professor Dr. Cornelia Ulrich from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg in her lecture on Thursday the general relationships between the diet and the development of cancer.

Relationship between diet and cancer
At the annual congress of the DGE, more than 700 physicians, nutritionists and scientists have come together to work under the direction of Professor Dr. med. Hans Hauner and Professor Dr. med. Hannelore Daniel from the TU Munich Freising-Weihenstephan to discuss the health effects of nutrition. „In 72 lectures and 139 poster contributions, more than 200 speakers present their latest results from basic nutrition research and related disciplines“, so the message of the DGE. At the annual congress, the focus is also on the relationship between cancer and nutritional habits. The experts report that dietary factors, for example, play a role in post-menopausal breast cancer when they influence estrogen levels, such as overweight and alcohol intake. There are also numerous correlations with the diet in colorectal cancer, whereby the DGE experts attribute this to the direct contact of the tissue with the intestinal constituents and the very rapid metabolism. Possible risk factors here are, according to DGE, „especially a meat-rich diet, too little exercise and overweight.“ Preventive colorectal cancer is a diet rich in vegetables and fruits.

Obesity promotes the development of different tumors
Professor Hauner explained that obesity probably favors the development of malignant tumors, since the levels of the hormone insulin are usually significantly increased in those affected. The excess of body fat causes the insulin can no longer be absorbed, causing the blood sugar level rises. However, high blood sugar is a signal for the pancreas to produce more insulin to reduce it. As a result, the insulin levels of those affected usually stay permanently elevated and work „possibly as a growth factor for the cancer cells“, explained Prof. Hauner. In breast cancer, however, according to the experts, the excess weight is probably more due to the elevated levels of the female sex hormone estrogen. Because in the fatty tissue and estrogen is formed, which in turn promote the growth of cancer cells, as already known by hormone replacement therapies with estrogen and the resulting increase in breast cancer rate, said the expert. Furthermore, other cancers, such as colon cancer, are apparently associated with red meat consumption.

Dietary changes could reduce cancer risk
Since the number of overweight persons has risen significantly in Germany over the past decades, the experts are also worried about a time-related increase in certain cancers. Although the number of obese people is stagnating at a high level today, more and more adolescents are affected and the proportion of extremely overweight people has also increased, according to the statement made at the DGE annual congress. Since the unhealthy diet is one of the main causes of obesity in addition to lack of exercise, the experts called for a greater consideration of nutritional recommendations. Nutritionists recommend a balanced fiber-rich diet, in which the so-called Mediterranean diet with olive oil, lots of fresh vegetables, salad and a higher proportion of fish (instead of meat) could form a good basis. Thus, the breast cancer, pancreatic cancer and colorectal cancer risk could be significantly reduced by a change in diet, explained the nutritionists. (Fp)

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Picture: Gerd Altmann