Obesity increases cancer risk

Study clarifies close connection between obesity and new cancer

26/11/2014

Many cancers are apparently closely related to obesity. This is the result of a study by the International Center for Cancer Research (IARC), which has now been published in the journal "The Lancet Oncology". According to this, almost 500,000 new cases of cancer each year are associated with obesity and obesity, with women in the rich countries of the world in particular being affected.

3.6% of all cases are associated with excessive weight
Cancer and obesity seem to be closely linked in more and more cases. As reported by the International Cancer Research Center (IARC) in an article in The Lancet Oncology magazine, 3.6 percent of all new cancers in 2012 could be attributed to excessive weight, which translates into approximately 481,000 adult cancer cases worldwide.

1.4 billion people over 20 years affected
According to the IARC, which is a specialized body of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Lyon (France), obesity and obesity would have become a major cancer risk, with the United States and the rich countries of Europe in particular would be affected. Overweight has long been regarded as a growing problem worldwide, which now affects 1.4 billion people over the age of 20, according to the WHO.

North America absolute leader
The scientists had evaluated comprehensive data from 184 countries for their study and thus came to insightful findings. According to the researchers, in 2012, the richest countries in the richest countries had the highest proportion of new cases of cancer related to overweight and obesity. Almost a quarter (111,000) of these cases were registered in the US, while in Europe, Eastern Europe was the sad leader with 65,000 cases.

A quarter of new cases could possibly have been avoided
In addition, the researchers were able to show from their analyzes that the relationship between cancer and obesity appears to be more prevalent in women than in men, with particular attention to the cases of uterine cancer and breast cancer after menopause. According to the study, this link was recognizable among women worldwide in 5.4% of all new cases of cancer (345,000 cases) in 2012, compared with only 1.9% (136,000 cases) among men. As the researchers further report, in view of these results, a quarter of new cases of overweight may have been avoided. However, the prerequisite for this is that the affected people should not have increased with age.

Healthy weight is crucial to prevent cancer
„These results make it clear that maintaining a healthy weight is crucial to preventing many common cancers“, the study leader Dr. Kate Allen in a press release from the IARC. „In the United Kingdom, 13,000 diagnosed cases in women (8.2% of all cancers) in 2012 were attributed to overweight and obesity. [...] Cancer is an epidemic problem, and to fight it, we need to help people take action to maintain a healthy weight“, so Dr. Allen next. (No)