A new study has shown that in ten years, obesity could become the number one factor in preventable cases of cancer in women.
It reports that in obese women there has been 124 000 cases of cancer in 2009. This number is expected to increase in the next few years.
Researchers have calculated the number of cancer cases related to obesity in 30 European countries by studying men and women with a BMI of 25.
Since 2002, 70 000 new cancer cases were attributed to being overweight or obese. In 2008, 3.2% of men were affected with cancer compared to 8.6% of females.
The main cancers associated with obesity are colorectal cancer, breast cancer and endometrial cancer. In addition, as obese individuals have excess stomach acid, this can also lead to the development of stomach cancer, intestinal cancer and cancer of the esophagus.
Further studies will be done soon, as researchers must find new strategies to help individuals stay thin. Telling them to lose weight for their health does not seem to work.