The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has released figures showing approximately 100,500 cases of cancer each year in the United States can be attributed to excess body fat.
The AICR estimates the following percentages of cancers are linked to being overweight or obese:
- 49% of endometrial cancers (approximately 20,700 cases per year)
- 35% of esophageal cancers (approximately 5,800 cases per year)
- 28% of pancreatic cancers (approximately 11,900 cases per year)
- 24% of kidney cancers (approximately 13,900 cases per year)
- 21% of gallbladder cancers (approximately 2,000 cases per year)
- 17% of breast cancers (approximately 33,000 cases per year)
- 9% of colorectal cancers (approximately 13,200 cases per year)
The researchers found a definite link between excess body fat and cancers of the endometrium, esophagus, pancreas, kidney, breast (post-menopausal) and colorectal. The link between excess body fat and gallbladder cancer is felt to be probable at this time.
"We now know that carrying excess body fat plays a central role in many of the most common cancers,” said Laurence Kolonel, MD, PhD, Deputy Director of the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii and AICR/WCRF expert panel member "And it's clearer than ever that obesity's impact is felt before, during and after cancer - it increases risk, makes treatment more difficult and shortens survival.”
The connection between being overweight and cancer may be due to the fact excess body fat increases the production of estrogen, a hormone many cancers require for growth, as well as other hormones and body chemicals that help prevent or control cancer formation. Studies also show being overweight reduces the effectiveness of the immune system.
The American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund released the report Policy and Action for Cancer Prevention, which estimated the percentage of cancers attributable to poor diet, lack of exercise and excess body weight, earlier in 2009. The new estimates, released on November 5, 2009, were calculated using information from that report and the latest US cancer incidence data provided by the American Cancer Society.
Cancer survival decreased by obesity and increased by regular exercise
Video: Elizabeth Cohen explains the study on CNN:
Comments
Ouch! Need to keep track of that weight and avoid cancer.
Also help reduce diabetes too.
Important info!
Book marking this for my Health Alliance group. The problem with people losing weight is that they think it's all or nothing. If they can't look like a model, why bother? It's so much more then that. I wish more people would realize that.
Gives me another reason to lose the weight that I need to.
I heard where the fat is on the body also plays a part -- that visceral fat is much unhealthier than other types.
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