Obesity has become one of the fastest-growing health problems across the world. Besides increasing the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, doctors have also linked excess body fat with many forms of cancer.
A new study from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), published in Cancer Communications, suggests that the connection may be much stronger than scientists previously realized.
Researchers wanted to answer a simple question: how many cancer cases could actually be linked to carrying too much body fat? Earlier estimates suggested the number was relatively small. The new findings indicate that the true figure may be nearly twice as high.
To investigate, the scientists analyzed information from more than 458,000 adults enrolled in the UK Biobank. Participants were monitored for nearly 12 years, and more than 50,000 cancers developed during that time. This gave researchers a rare opportunity to examine the long-term effects of body weight on cancer risk.
Instead of relying only on BMI, the team also measured waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. These measures better reflect how much fat collects around the abdomen. Fat stored around the waist is more closely linked with harmful inflammation and changes in hormones that may encourage cancer growth.
The scientists also recognized that cancer itself can cause people to lose weight years before diagnosis. If someone unknowingly develops cancer before entering a study, they may already weigh less than they normally would. This can make obesity appear less dangerous than it really is.
To solve this problem, the researchers removed cancer cases diagnosed soon after the study began. This reduced the effect of hidden cancers that were already causing weight loss. After making this adjustment, the relationship between excess body fat and cancer became much clearer.
The final results suggested that as many as 11.5% of cancers could be related to overweight and obesity. The association appeared stronger in women and in adults under 60 years of age. These findings suggest that maintaining a healthy weight could prevent many more cancers than experts had previously estimated.
Professor Hermann Brenner said rising obesity rates combined with aging populations mean the number of obesity-related cancers could continue to increase in the future. He believes stronger prevention and treatment programs are urgently needed. Helping people achieve and maintain a healthy weight could become an even more important part of cancer prevention.
Although the study cannot prove cause and effect, it improves on earlier research by using better measurements and accounting for hidden sources of error. These improvements make the conclusions more convincing than many previous studies. Additional research in different countries will help determine whether similar patterns are seen elsewhere.
In analysis, this study highlights how careful research methods can change our understanding of disease risk. The findings suggest that obesity plays a much larger role in cancer than once believed and emphasize the value of preventing excess weight throughout life.
Public health programs that encourage healthy lifestyles may have a greater impact on cancer prevention than previously appreciated.
If you care about weight loss, please read studies that hop extract could reduce belly fat in overweight people, and early time-restricted eating could help lose weight .
For more health information, please see recent studies about a simple path to weight loss, and results showing a non-invasive treatment for obesity and diabetes.
Source: German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ).
