Obesity Up Risk Factor Of 13 Different Types Of Cancer, A New Study Finds

First Posted: Aug 25, 2016 05:37 AM EDT
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A new study has found that being obese raises the risk of getting at least eight additional types of life threatening cancer. It is well known that obesity leads to a number of health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart stroke and heart attack, but, now, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, claims that obesity is linked to the development of thirteen types of cancer in total.

Back in 2012, a study conducted by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Cancer on Research (IARC) found that obesity increases the risk of bowel, breast, kidney, esophagus and womb cancer. Now, the latest study, also conducted by the WHO International Agency for Cancer on Research (IARC), has added eight more cancer types to the list- cancers of the stomach, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, ovary, thyroid, meningioma brain tumors and a type of blood cancer called multiple myeloma, reported Daily Mail.

How Obesity Is Linked To Cancer

For the study, the research team, led by experts from Washington University School of Medicine, analyzed more than 1,000 studies that looked at possible connection between excess body weight and cancer risk. It was found that excess body fat alters the balance of hormones such as oestrogen, testosterone and insulin in the body which can drive cancer growth, reported ABCNews.

Lead author of the study, Dr. Graham Colditz of Washington University, said that the risk of developing cancer due to obesity is quite higher than previously assumed. He added that people aren't aware of many of the newly identified cancers which are linked to obesity.

How To Reduce Cancer Risk

One positive thing that the study claims is that the cancer risk in obese people reduces as they start losing weight. Dr. Colditz has recommended people to eat a healthy diet, try to maintain a healthy weight and exercise as well as restrict themselves from smoking in order to reduce cancer risk. He added that the study is another wake-up call for people reminding them that it's high time to take their health and diet seriously.

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