I Need To Lose Weight, Is There A Link Between Cancer And Obesity

The evidence that there is a direct link between obesity and the role it plays in cancer is growing steadily. The data shows there is a good reason to draw a link between an increased risk of several types of cancer including colon, gallbladder, as well as thyroid cancer in women. Furthermore, living a lifestyle with a low activity level may also have an impact on the risk of developing one of these types of cancer.

There is some good, however. Obesity may actually protect against some forms of cancer. Premenopausal women with obesity appear to have a decreased risk of developing breast cancer. Some studies show that lung cancer is also less prevalent among obese people as opposed to leaner people.

According to research carried out by the American Cancer Society in 2002, the estimates for cancer incidence showed that 51% of the new cancers diagnosed among women had some relationship to their being overweight or obese. This indicates that in order to decrease the chance of developing cancer, women should try and reduce their weight down to the normal range for their height.

Obesity increases the risk of developing breast cancer in women who are postmenopausal. It also increases the chances of being diagnosed with other forms of cancer including endometrium, colon, kidney, and esophagus cancer. If you can somehow avoid weight gain you can lower the risk of developing any of these often deadly forms of cancer.

In 2001 experts came to the conclusion that various forms of cancer, including breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus and kidney cancer are possibly linked to obesity. In fact between 25% and 30% of cancers can be linked to physical inactivity and obesity.

Statistics gathered in 2002 by the National Cancer Institute recorded 41,000 new cases of cancer in the U.S. that were linked to obesity. This report also indicated that 14% of deaths from cancer in males were also linked to obesity, and up to 20% in females.

British reports also show that the more weight you carry on your body the more chance you will have of developing cancer. The reality is that the obesity epidemic is a worldwide phenomenon. This means that because of the link between obesity and cancer, if the incidence of obesity continues its meteoric rise then cancer rates will also continue to rise.

Statistically the rise in BMI (body mass index) averages correlates with a rise in the risk of certain types of cancer for both sexes. A male with a high BMI has an 52% increased risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma. For thyroid cancer it goes up by 33%, and by 24% for both colon and kidney cancer. Women with an increase in BMI experience an increased risk of postmenopausal breast, colon, pancreatic and thyroid cancers. There is also an increase in risk of developing leukemia, non Hodgkins lymphoma, and multiple myeloma for both males and females.

Experts have not yet determined the connection between increased BMI and the increased risk of cancer, but it may have something to do with the changes in levels of various hormones that accompany a significant weight gain.

Permanent weight loss will most certainly increase your chances of a healthy future so do not delay. Begin your weight loss journey immediately.