Research linking obesity to eight new cancers – BergensAvisen

An independent working group of 21 international experts have gone through more than a thousand scientific studies and can now add additional eight cancer types in various organs of obesity: Cancer of the stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, ovaries, thyroid, meninges and bone marrow.

– the results are important because they show a clear correlation between overweight and obesity, which increases in Norway, and a number of cancers, says the head of the research department at the cancer Registry, Elisabete Weider Pass, said.

she participated in the expert group, which also confirmed previous findings showing that a healthy body weight reduces the risk of colorectal cancer, kidney cancer, esophagus cancer, certain types of cancer of the uterus and breast cancer for women who have undergone menopause.

Norwegian figures

the study is published in the respected journal the New England Journal of Medicine. The review is done on behalf of The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is an advisory body to the World Health Organization (WHO) in cancer issues.

Among the eight cancers that are now linked to obesity, it is particularly three that are relevant in Norway. Pancreatic cancer affects more than 700 people each year, while it detected 400 cases of ovarian cancer and bone marrow cancer annually.

– This comprehensive evaluation reminds us once again how important a healthy body weight is to prevent cancer, says Weider Pass.

in addition to the clear linkages there is much to suggest that being overweight increases the risk of serious prostate cancer and breast cancer in men.

Early signs

Every third Norwegian man is overweight, while one in four women weighing more than recommended, according MACROBUTTON Statistics Norway. MACROBUTTON MACROBUTTON MACROBUTTON percentage of overweight increases both in Norway and globally.

The study also included material with data on children, adolescents and young adults up to age 25. The purpose was to investigate whether obesity early in life may be linked to cancer in adulthood. For several cancers, including colon cancer and liver cancer, it was demonstrated this connection.

– The health authorities should seek to avoid obesity in the population, says Weider Pass, which supports the WHO recommendations that the government should facilitate a healthy lifestyle already from childhood.

Composite

the report “Disease burden in Norway” was published in March and concluded that if one looks all ages as a whole, is now an unhealthy diet the biggest lifestyle challenge that affects our health. Weider Pass believes the government must emphasize even more strongly the importance of eating healthy and being physically active to have a healthy body weight stable life through:

– Obesity is a complex condition, but is primarily due to environmental and not inheritance .

Factors affecting diet and activity is socio-economic status, living environment and access to healthy food. (© NTB)