Most of the American people, who are either overweight or obese due to abdominal fat or body fat, may now will be successful in lowering their susceptibility of having cancer by simply changing their dietary plans. Cancer is the second most leading disease which causes death in the U.S. the prime reason behind obesity or overweight is when food intake exceeds the number of calories burned. Read on to know more how obesity raises the risk of cancer.
How Obesity Raises the Risk of Cancer?
An estimated figure of 61% Americans are either overweight or obese as per the Center for Disease Control. According to a survey conducted by American Institute of cancer, only 1 in 4 people were aware of the fact that obesity can lead to cancer. Hence, most of the obese Americans may be unaware of the fact they could minimize the risk of having cancer by weight loss.
If high amounts of body fat is present, it increases the estrogen levels in the blood. This makes the female reproductive system prone to cancer. Also, it increases the acid reflux which can lead to esophagus cancer. This raises the insulin which causes the body to secrete a hormone that leads to cell multiplication.
A Recent Report
According to a recent report, there is a link between 19 different cancers and obesity. Out of the 19 cancers which were evaluated, 8 were directly linked to body fat. A factor called Persons Years of Lost Life (PYLL) because of each cancer type was evaluated using actual death rates due to the cancers and life expectancy tables. The table below shows the results of the study:
| Table 1, Cancers with increased risk due to Overweight and Obese people. The source of this information is the National Cancer Institute (2). | |||
| PYLL for 2004 | Type of Cancer | Cause | Mitigated by |
| 783,000 | Breast | Body Fatness Abdominal Fat Total Fat Greater birth weight Adult attained height Adult weight gain | Physical activity Lactation |
| 752,000 | Colorectum | Body fatness Abdominal fat Alcohol Sugary drinks Animal fat Cheese Foods with iron Red meat Processed meat Adult attained height | Foods containing dietary fiber Fruits, Fish, Milk, Garlic Non-starchy vegetables Foods containing Folate Foods containing selenium Foods containing vitamin D Calcium supplements Physical activity |
| 463,000 | Pancreas | Body fatness Abdominal fat Red meat Adult attained height | Fruits Foods containing folate Physical activity |
| 258,000 | Liver | Body fatness Alcohol Aflatoxins (mold) | Fruits |
| 257,000 | Endometrium | Body Fatness Abdominal fat Processed meats | Non-starchy vegetables Physical activity |
| 205,000 | Oestophagus | Body fatness Alcohol Red meat Processed meat | Fruits Non-starchy vegetables Foods containing B-Carotene Foods containing vitamin C Foods containing dietary fiber Foods containing folate Foods containing Pyridoxine Foods containing vitamin E |
| 193,000 | Kidney | Body Fatness Arsenic in water | Physical activity (3) Fruits and vegetables (3) |
| N/A | Gall Bladder | Body fatness | Physical activity (4) Watch less TV (4) |
