Emerging research is showing us a complicated relationship between obesity (being very overweight) and cancer. Understanding how they are connected is very important for finding ways to prevent and treat cancer. With obesity becoming more common around the world, scientists are eager to learn how extra body weight may lead to different types of cancers.
There are a few ways scientists think obesity might be connected to cancer:
Hormonal Changes: Fat tissue, especially the type around the belly, is active and produces different hormones. For instance, it creates more estrogen, which can help hormone-sensitive tumors grow, like some breast and uterine cancers.
Chronic Inflammation: People who are obese often have low-level inflammation in their bodies. Fat tissue releases substances that lead to inflammation, like TNF-α and IL-6. These can help tumors grow by encouraging more cell growth and forming new blood vessels, which aid tumor development.
Insulin Resistance: Being obese can lead to insulin resistance, which means the body does not respond well to insulin. This can cause high levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) in the blood. When IGF levels are high, it can promote cell growth and stop cells from dying when they should, raising the risk of cancer.
Recent studies show a clear link between obesity and a higher risk of several cancers. Here are some important findings:
Breast Cancer: Women who are postmenopausal and have obesity are at higher risk for breast cancer compared to those who are not overweight, mainly because of higher estrogen levels.
Colorectal Cancer: Obesity is a big risk factor for colorectal cancer. Research indicates that for every increase of 5 in body mass index (BMI), the risk goes up by about 25%.
Endometrial Cancer: Obesity is also a significant risk factor for endometrial cancer, with the risk being two to four times higher for obese women.
A review found that obesity contributes to about 20% of all cancers in women and around 14% in men. The World Health Organization estimated that in 2020, over 570,000 new cancer cases in Europe were due to obesity.
Researchers have a formula to estimate how much obesity contributes to different cancers:
In this formula:
Understanding how obesity and cancer are related shows why public health programs focusing on weight management are important. Here are a few ways to help:
Diet and Nutrition: Eating a balanced diet that is full of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help keep a healthy weight and might lower the risk of some cancers.
Physical Activity: Regular exercise helps manage weight and reduces some of the inflammation that comes with obesity.
Ongoing research highlights how important it is to understand how obesity affects cancer. By learning more about these connections, we can improve our prevention efforts and how we use resources in the fight against cancer. Health experts, lawmakers, and researchers need to work together to tackle this growing public health issue and aim to lessen the burden of cancer related to obesity.
Emerging research is showing us a complicated relationship between obesity (being very overweight) and cancer. Understanding how they are connected is very important for finding ways to prevent and treat cancer. With obesity becoming more common around the world, scientists are eager to learn how extra body weight may lead to different types of cancers.
There are a few ways scientists think obesity might be connected to cancer:
Hormonal Changes: Fat tissue, especially the type around the belly, is active and produces different hormones. For instance, it creates more estrogen, which can help hormone-sensitive tumors grow, like some breast and uterine cancers.
Chronic Inflammation: People who are obese often have low-level inflammation in their bodies. Fat tissue releases substances that lead to inflammation, like TNF-α and IL-6. These can help tumors grow by encouraging more cell growth and forming new blood vessels, which aid tumor development.
Insulin Resistance: Being obese can lead to insulin resistance, which means the body does not respond well to insulin. This can cause high levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) in the blood. When IGF levels are high, it can promote cell growth and stop cells from dying when they should, raising the risk of cancer.
Recent studies show a clear link between obesity and a higher risk of several cancers. Here are some important findings:
Breast Cancer: Women who are postmenopausal and have obesity are at higher risk for breast cancer compared to those who are not overweight, mainly because of higher estrogen levels.
Colorectal Cancer: Obesity is a big risk factor for colorectal cancer. Research indicates that for every increase of 5 in body mass index (BMI), the risk goes up by about 25%.
Endometrial Cancer: Obesity is also a significant risk factor for endometrial cancer, with the risk being two to four times higher for obese women.
A review found that obesity contributes to about 20% of all cancers in women and around 14% in men. The World Health Organization estimated that in 2020, over 570,000 new cancer cases in Europe were due to obesity.
Researchers have a formula to estimate how much obesity contributes to different cancers:
In this formula:
Understanding how obesity and cancer are related shows why public health programs focusing on weight management are important. Here are a few ways to help:
Diet and Nutrition: Eating a balanced diet that is full of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help keep a healthy weight and might lower the risk of some cancers.
Physical Activity: Regular exercise helps manage weight and reduces some of the inflammation that comes with obesity.
Ongoing research highlights how important it is to understand how obesity affects cancer. By learning more about these connections, we can improve our prevention efforts and how we use resources in the fight against cancer. Health experts, lawmakers, and researchers need to work together to tackle this growing public health issue and aim to lessen the burden of cancer related to obesity.