BEING overweight or obese puts you at risk of five more cancers than previously thought, a “pioneering” study shows.
People who are too heavy from age 18 to 40 are more likely to get 18 different types of the deadly disease, World Health Organization researchers found.
BEING overweight or obese puts you at risk of five more cancers than previously thought, a “pioneering” study shows
They tracked more than 2.6million people’s BMI status over their lifetimes to see how it affected their risk.
The new cancers linked to weight they found included leukaemia, non Hodgkin lymphoma and, among people who have never smoked, head and neck and bladder cancers.
Study co-leader Dr Heinz Freisling, of the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, said doctors need to be aware of the greater threat of cancer in obese people.
He said: “The results of our study support a re-evaluation of the cancer burden associated with overweight and obesity, which currently is likely underestimated.”
Around 38 per cent of adults in England are overweight, and a further 26 per cent obese.
Experts estimate around 3million Brits are currently living with cancer, with numbers expected to increase to 5.3 million by 2040.
Previously, the WHO have linked have linked being overweight or obese to at least 13 different cancers
The study, published in Nature Communications, looked at health records of people in Catalonia, Spain, from 2009 until 2018.
None had cancer at the start of the study and 225,396 were diagnosed with it by the end.
Researchers found people who were overweight or obese were more likely to suffer 18 cancers, including the five newly identified ones.
Dr Talita Duarte-Sallés, of Institut d’investigació en Atenció Primària de Salut Jordi Gol, said: “These compelling results support the implementation of primary care-based strategies for cancer prevention.
“These should have a strong focus on preventing and reducing early overweight and obesity.
“This pioneering research marks a significant milestone in understanding the intricate relationship between overweight/obesity and cancer risk.
“With 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.”
Dr Panagiota Mitrou, of the World Cancer Research Fund, said: “This large study has future public health implications since additional cancers, such as leukaemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, have been shown to be linked with overweight and obesity.
“Our 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.”
