Men who gain weight with age are at twice the risk of cancer associated with obesity. Women are more spared from this phenomenon.
A few pounds that accumulate in your forties, others in your fifties … Weight gain is common over the years. But it is not without risk. A team from Manchester (United Kingdom) reminds it on the occasion of the Congress of National Cancer Research Institutes in Liverpool (United Kingdom) from November 6 to 9. Several forms of cancer are associated with obesity. Men and women whose overweight progresses over the years are more at risk than those whose weight remains stable.
The authors of this presentation followed 300,000 Americans over 15 years on average. Most of them experienced moderate weight gain that moved them from the “normal weight” category to the “overweight” category. During the study, 9,400 cancers occurred in women, 5,500 in men who participated. The latter are particularly at risk when the pounds pile up on the scale.
A time bomb
When the BMI * ranges from 22 to 27 over the course of a lifetime, the likelihood of developing cancer increases by 50% in male participants. Those who were already overweight are the most affected: if they fall into the “morbid obesity” category (BMI> 35), they are 53% more at risk of cancer related to their condition.
Surprisingly, women are less affected by the phenomenon. When their BMI changes unfavorably, from 23 to 32, the increased risk of tumor is 17%. A difference that the researchers do not explain.
These studies are not the first to illustrate the impact of weight gain over the years. But the message is obviously struggling to get through in everyday practice. “Lifetime weight gain is important in providing a clear picture of cancer risk compared to someone with a stable BMI,” says Dr Hannah Lennon. Taking an interest in them would make it possible to identify the populations most at risk and develop adapted strategies.
Because the urgency is real in view of the current obesity epidemic. 2.5 billion people are overweight, and this number is expected to increase in the years to come. A real time bomb for public health: 10 forms of cancer are associated with obesity, including that of the breast or colon. In France alone, 2,300 deaths have been caused by excess weight since 2000.
* The body mass index, BMI, is calculated by dividing the weight (in kg) raised squared by the height (in cm).
Pancreatic cancer: 3e cause of death in 2017
Over two billion people are overweight worldwide. The associated pathologies are numerous. One of them is booming: pancreatic cancer. The dynamic is such that in 2017 it will cause more deaths than breast cancer. A study presented at the United European Gastroenterology congress, which was held in Barcelona (Spain) from October 28 to 1er November, does not bode well. Next year, 91,500 deaths are caused by pancreatic cancer. It will therefore be the third cause of death in this category after the lung and colon-rectum. Its very poor prognosis is probably taken into account: 5 years after the diagnosis, only 5% of patients are still alive.
Evolution of pancreatic cancer mortality in Europe by 2025 (Source : UEG Week 2016)
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