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A Weighty Issue

We’ve all heard about the obesity epidemic, with some statistics claiming that nearly 60% of Americans are overweight, and that our hefty children will suffer lifelong problems. Now researchers suspect that obesity will soon become the leading cause of cancer in Europe.

That may be shocking, but the news isn’t all bad. Obesity is becoming more of a concern because the two other causes of cancer - smoking and hormone replacement therapy after menopause – have seen dramatic drops in the last decade. That’s good news.

"Obesity is catching up at a rate that makes it possible it could become the biggest attributable cause of cancer in women within the next decade," said Andrew Renehan, a cancer specialist at the University of Manchester. Renehan presented his findings to a joint meeting of the European Cancer Organization and the European Society for Medical Oncology in Berlin on Thursday, September 24.

Not all cancers are related to being fat. Colorectal cancer, breast cancer and endometrial cancer are among those that appear to be related to obesity. Researchers postulate that certain hormones produced by fat cells, including estrogen, may promote tumor growth. Larger digestive tracts also produce more stomach acid which can lead to stomach, intestinal or esophageal cancer.

Even with this knowledge in hand, the question remains, what to do? Renehan said new strategies were needed to help people stay slim. "We need to find the biological mechanism to help people find other ways of tackling obesity," he said. "Just telling the population to lose weight obviously hasn't worked."

Unlike some habits linked to cancer, such as smoking, one cannot simply stop eating. It will require a joint effort by scientists, educators, government and the corporate community all working to support the commitment and resolve of individuals. In short, reversing the obesity epidemic will require a shift in our entire consumer culture. Are we big enough to do that?

Read the entire article by Maria Cheng of the Associated Press here.

See more health topics in our Health Matters archives.

Click here for practical health information based on research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the nation's medical research agency.

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