Obesity Linked to 10 Common Forms of Cancer: Study

Too much body weight is linked to the risk of the 10 most common forms of cancer, according to a study.

Obesity is not good news for people's health and invites an array of illnesses and diseases like diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and heart problems. Researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the Farr Institute discovered excessive body mass elevates the risk of developing different types of cancer. Their study holds if more number of people continue to remain obese and overweight there would be 3,500 additional cases of cancer by 2020. The experts looked at more than five million people living in the U.K to assess the probability of cancer related to high BMI.

Their analysis revealed that with every five point increase in BMI level, the odds of having cancer of the uterus shoots up by 62 percent. People who gained same amount of body weight also had 31 and 25 percent higher risk of gallbladder and kidney cancer, respectively.

In addition, it was noted rising BMI levels were attributed to soaring incidence in breast cancer, liver cancer and colon cancer.

"The number of people who are overweight or obese is rapidly increasing both in the UK and worldwide.It is well recognised that this is likely to cause more diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Our results show that if these trends continue, we can also expect to see substantially more cancers as a result," said Krishnan Bhaskaran, study author and researcher at the LSHTM, reports the Independent. 

Surprisingly, the study recorded even though high BMI levels increased chances of the deadly diseases, obesity prevented many young men and women falling prey to prostate and breast cancer, respectively. But the authors have not been able to confirm the accurate reasons and mechanisms that hike up the possibility of cancers in overweight individuals.

"This study of over five million people has found new and stronger links between obesity and several different cancer types, highlighting the number of cancers that obesity causes in the UK," said Tom Stansfeld, health information officer at Cancer Research UK, reports the Independent.

"Although the relationship between cancer and obesity is complex, it's clear that carrying excess weight increases your risk of developing cancer. Keeping a healthy weight reduces cancer risk, and the best way to do this is through eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly."

 More information is available online in the journal the Lancet.