Excess body fat now linked to 13 different types of cancer

"Experts have linked eight more cancers to being overweight or obese, nearly tripling the list from five to 13," the Daily Mail reports. This is the latest finding of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a group of cancer experts from around the world that look at risk factors for cancer.  What is the basis for these reports? The headlines are based on a report published in the peer-reviewed New England Journal of Medicine. The report is not exactly new research, but a review of previously published studies that looked at the link between weight and cancers. It is the result of a working group of international cancer researchers who met to review the evidence in April this year. They reviewed studies in humans, animals and basic science to see whether the group's previous conclusions, published in 2002, needed to be updated. The group's new report concludes that, "the absence of excess body fatness lowers the risk of most cancers", also saying that losing weight intentionally may help prevent cancer. They list 13 cancers where they say there is "sufficient" evidence to conclude that being a healthy weight reduces the risk of cancer, three where there is "limited" evidence, and eight where the evidence is "inadequate". The cancers they identify as having sufficient evidence to link them to weight are: oesophageal cancer gastric cardia – a type of stomach cancer bowel cancer liver cancer ...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Cancer Obesity Lifestyle/exercise Source Type: news