New evidence linking obesity to the development of cancer
Nowadays, we can add a new danger to the list of problems that arise from the obesity: seriously increases the risk of cancer. A theory that has now been supported by the study of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, IARC in its acronym in English.
To substantiate this thesis, the IARC researchers reviewed more than 100 studies of clinical cases and controls, animal trials and research on the mechanisms that relate the excess body fat and the subsequent development of cancer.
The danger of body fat for health
This study has concluded that the absence of excess fat in the body reduces the risk of developing cancer of the colon and rectum, esophagus, kidney (renal cell carcinoma). Also the possibilities of suffering breast tumor in postmenopausal women, and the endometrium in the uterus decrease.
This new report allows that thanks to the review of the available literature it is clear that in middle-aged adults the link between excess fat and eight new types of cancer can not be ruled out. These are the ones that have been most related to obesity: tumors in the stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, ovary and thyroid, as well as meningioma and multiple myeloma.
Lack of evidence in other cases
Although IARC has detected this relationship between the development of these types of cancer and excess body fat, this body determines that there is limited evidence for other types of cases. In particular, there is still a lack of evidence to show that obesity causes prostate tumors, breast cancer in men, and lymphoma. large B cells.
In this work the researchers also wanted to reevaluate those cases of obesity in young people up to 25 years old and the possibility of developing cancer in adult life. In this way, they found that in several types of tumors, such as colon and liver, the relationship between overweight in early ages and cancer were similar to cases in adults.
A global vision to avoid obesity
According to 2014 data, it is estimated that there is 640 million obese adults throughout the world and that 110 million children and adolescents were overweight in 2013. In 2013, it is also estimated that 4.5 million deaths in the world they are attributable to overweight and obesity.
Jobs like these remind people of the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle and avoiding excesses. "This comprehensive evaluation of other studies reinforces the benefits of maintaining a healthy body weight and fat level in order to reduce the risk of several different types of cancer," concludes Béatrice Lauby-Secretan, lead author of this research.
Damián Montero
