The risk of cancer increases considerably if you gain weight before the age of 40, shows an international study
This study tried to ascertain whether adults (over 40 years of age) who are overweight (BMI over 25) and obese (BMI over 30) have increased risk of different types of cancer.
The study showed that if you were overweight before age 40, the risk of developing cancer increases by:
- 70 percent for endometrial cancer.
- 58 percent for male renal-cell cancer.
- 29 percent for male colon cancer.
- 15 percent for all obesity-related cancers (both sexes).
“Obesity is an established risk factor for several cancers. In this study, we have focused on the degree, timing and duration of overweight and obesity in relation to cancer risk,” said Professor Tone Bjørge, at Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen.
In the study, the researchers included adults with two or more measurements, obtained at least three years apart, and before a possible cancer diagnosis. On average, the individuals were followed for about 18 years.
The results from the study show that overweight and obese adults have an increased risk of postmenopausal breast, endometrial, renal-cell and colon cancer
Data of 2,20,000 individuals from the Me-Can study which included participants from Norway, Sweden and Austria were included in this study. Health examinations information, including height and weight, were linked to data from national cancer registries. 27,881 individuals were diagnosed with cancer during follow-up, of which 9761 (35 percent) were obesity-related.
Obese participants (BMI over 30) at the first and second health examination had the highest risk of developing obesity-related cancer, compared to participants with normal BMI.
“The risk increased by 64 percent for male participants and 48 percent for females,” Bjørge said.
The results from the study show that overweight and obese adults have an increased risk of postmenopausal breast, endometrial, renal-cell and colon cancer.
“Our key message is that preventing weight gain may be an important public health strategy to reduce the cancer risk,” added Tone Bjørge.
