A “pioneering” study finds that being overweight or obese puts you at risk for five more malignancies than previously assumed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People aged 18 to 40 who are overweight are more likely to develop 18 different forms of the lethal disease, according to World Health Organisation researchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They studied the BMI status of over 2.6 million people over the course of their lives to determine how it changed their risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They discovered novel diseases connected to weight, including leukaemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and head and neck and bladder cancers in persons who had never smoked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr. Heinz Freisling of the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, who co-led the study, said doctors should be aware of the increased risk of cancer in obese persons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said: \u201cThe results of our study support a re-evaluation of the cancer burden associated with overweight and\u00a0obesity, which currently is likely underestimated.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Around 38% of adults in England are overweight, with another 26% obese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Experts predict that approximately 3 million Britons are presently living with cancer, with the figure expected to rise to 5.3 million by 2040.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The WHO previously linked being overweight or obese to at least 13 different cancers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The study, published in Nature Communications, examined health records from 2009 to 2018 in Catalonia, Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There were no cancer cases at the start of the trial, but 225,396 were diagnosed by the conclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Overweight or obese people were shown to be more likely to develop 18 malignancies, including the five newly discovered ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“These compelling results support the implementation of primary care-based cancer prevention strategies,” said Dr Talita Duarte-Sall\u00e9s of the Institut d’investigaci\u00f3 en Atenci\u00f3 Prim\u00e0ria de Salut Jordi Gol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese should have a strong focus on preventing and reducing early overweight and obesity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis pioneering research marks a significant milestone in understanding the intricate relationship between overweight\/obesity and cancer risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWith these findings, the global community has a powerful new tool to shape targeted interventions, develop effective prevention strategies, and ultimately make a significant impact on cancer outcomes worldwide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Panagiota Mitrou, of the World Cancer Research Fund, said: \u201cThis large study has\u00a0future\u00a0public health implications since additional cancers, such as leukaemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, have been shown to be linked with overweight and obesity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur own evidence shows that maintaining a healthy weight throughout life is one of the most important things people can do to reduce their cancer risk, and early prevention in adulthood is key.\u201d<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A “pioneering” study finds that being overweight or obese puts you at risk for five more malignancies than previously assumed. People aged 18 to 40 who are overweight are more … <\/p>\n