Johns Hopkins Health Alerts | Nutrition and Weight Control | The Obesity-Cancer Connection

More than 90,000 cancer deaths a year could be prevented if American adults maintained a healthy weight.

An impressive amount of scientific evidence has established obesity -- defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more -- as a risk factor for developing various types of cancer. Obesity also increases the risk of dying of cancer, even for those forms of cancer for which obesity is not already an established risk factor. A study by the American Cancer Society provides new evidence for this connection: As many as one in five cancer deaths each year among adults age 50 and over in the United States can be directly attributed to excess body weight. The message for Americans? Thousands of cancer deaths could be prevented if people lost weight.

Obesity and Cancer Risk

Obesity is a known risk factor for cancers of the breast, colon and rectum, endometrium (lining of the uterus), esophagus, and kidney.

• Breast Cancer. The most common cancer in women, breast cancer is linked to obesity in post-menopausal women. Reseachers estimate that obese women have a 50% greater chance than nonobese women of developing breast cancer after menopause.
• Colon and Rectal Cancer. The third leading cancer in men and women, colon and rectal cancer has been associated with several unhealthy aspects of the Western diet. However, obesity is the only recognized diet-related risk factor. Studies suggest that obesity doubles the risk of colorectal cancer in men and in premenopausal women.
• Endometrial Cancer. The fourth most common cancer in women, endometrial cancer is linked to obesity in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Researchers estimate that obese women are three times more likely to develop endometrial cancer than women who are not obese.
• Esophageal Cancer. Obesity is a known risk factor for developing a particular form of esophageal cancer, called adenocarcinoma, which arises from chronic damage to the lower esophagus.
• Kidney Cancer. Although little information is available regarding the relationship between diet and kidney cancer, obesity has been identified as a risk factor. Obesity is thought to play a role in the development of one third of all kidney cancers in the United States.

Johns Hopkins Health Alerts | Nutrition and Weight Control | The Obesity-Cancer Connection