Obesity is closely related to 11 types of cancer. That is the conclusion from a review of more than 200 scientific studies conducted by a group of researchers at Imperial College London.
The paper, published Feb. 28, 2017, in the British Medical Journal evaluated 204 studies on obesity and its link to 36 types of cancer. Those found to be in direct relation are cancer of the esophagus, cardias (stomach), multiple myeloma, cancer of the colon, rectum, biliary tract, pancreas, breast, endometrium, ovary, and kidney.
Research indicates that an increase of a few kilograms in body weight can significantly increase the likelihood of developing cancers. At a weight gain of 5 kilograms, for example, the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer increases by 11 percent, and the likelihood of colon cancer occurrence in men increases by 36 percent.
Other associations between obesity and different forms of cancer are plausible, researchers say, but are less certain than those listed. Further targeted studies are needed for this.
Obesity-and its consequences-is now considered a major public health emergency, as reminded on Obesity Day, Oct. 11, 2016. But the measures taken so far by health care institutions and governments to stem the epidemic of obesity and diabetes are not proving effective.
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with an estimated 12.7 million new cases and 7.6 million cancer deaths each year. Excessive body weight is associated with an increased risk of developing and dying from many diseases, including cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Over the past 40 years, the incidence of obesity has more than doubled among women and tripled among men. The number of overweight and obese people has increased from about 857 million in 1980 to 2.1 billion in 2013.