Obesity Linked to Increased Cancer Rates

Thursday, February 05, 2004

ROCHESTER, Minn. — If you're overweight or obese with a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 26 here's another reason to lose weight: obesity may increase your risk of several cancers. BMI is a measurement physicians use to determine healthy or unhealthy weight.

The February issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource explains the strongest connections between a person's weight and risks for cancer:

Breast: After menopause, obese women have one and one-half times the risk of developing breast cancer as do women of a healthy weight.

Uterine lining (endometrium): Obese women have two to four times the risk of developing endometrial cancer as do women of a healthy weight.

Kidney: Obese women have two to four times the risk of developing kidney cancer as do women of a healthy weight.

Pancreas: Obese women have two times the risk of developing pancreatic cancer as do women of a healthy weight.

Colon: Obese women have a 46 percent higher risk of developing colon cancer than women of a healthy weight.

While cancer may occur more often in people who are obese, that doesn't prove that obesity causes cancer. More research is needed to better understand the effect of obesity on the development of cancer. Perhaps other factors, such as eating habits or lack of exercise, contribute to the link.

While it's challenging to lose weight, it's possible. And making changes in diet and physical activity to help lose weight may decrease your cancer risk and offer many other health benefits.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester — Carol Lammers
507-284-5005 (days)
507-284-2511(evenings)
email: newsbureau@mayo.edu

Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville — Erik Kaldor
904-953-2299

Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale — Anne Tewksbury
480-301-4368

Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource is published monthly to help women enjoy healthier, more productive lives. Revenue from subscriptions is used to support medical research at Mayo Clinic. To subscribe, please call 800-876-8633, extension 9PK1.

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