In more bad news for obese people, new study finds obesity linked to 18 types of cancer

A new study published in Nature Communications has revealed a concerning connection between being overweight or obese and the risk of developing 18 types of cancer. The study emphasizes that individuals between the ages of 18 and 40 are particularly vulnerable if they do not maintain a healthy weight.

While the link between cancer and obesity is not new, previous research has already established the association of 13 types of cancers, including breast (in postmenopausal women), colon and rectum, uterus, gallbladder, esophagus (adenocarcinoma), stomach (upper), kidney, liver, ovaries, pancreas, thyroid, meningioma (a type of brain cancer), and multiple myeloma, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, this new study published in Nature Communications expands the list to 18 types of cancer. The authors highlight that leukaemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, as well as bladder and head and neck cancers among non-smokers, are now also linked to excess weight.

What was the study?

• The study examined data from over 2.6 million adults in Catalonia, Spain, aged 40 and above, who were cancer-free in 2009.
• The participants' health was monitored over a span of 9 years to track cancer occurrences.
• In 2018, 225,396 participants were diagnosed with cancer. Analysis of their health records revealed that those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or greater, indicating overweight or obesity, were at a higher risk of developing cancer.
• The study highlighted that individuals who were overweight between the ages of 18 and 40 faced an elevated cancer risk.

Key findings

• The researchers concluded that individuals who remained overweight for extended periods faced a greater risk of developing cancer.
• Higher degrees of obesity during youth were also identified as increasing the likelihood of cancer.
• The researchers emphasized, "Our findings seem to indicate that longer exposures to overweight and obesity (regardless of the degree of excess weight) and developing overweight and obesity at younger ages in early adulthood might increase cancer risk."

Dr Panagiota Mitrou, director of research, policy, and innovation at the World Cancer Research Fund, commented on the study, stating, "This large study has significant public health implications, as additional cancers such as leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma have been shown to be linked with overweight and obesity." Dr. Mitrou stressed the importance of maintaining a healthy weight to reduce the risk of cancer, emphasizing that "early prevention in adulthood is key."

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