The number of victims of excess weight has been underestimated. 8 new forms of cancer are associated with overweight and obesity. 4.5 million people are already dying from it.
The list goes on. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has just reassessed the risks of overweight. Overweight and obesity caused 4.5 million deaths worldwide in 2013. In the years to come, this number may well increase. Experts have in fact added 8 forms of cancer to the consequences of excess weight in the long term. A summary of their latest guide appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The last work of this type was published in 2002. “Since then, a large number of scientific studies on the effects of weight or weight change on cancer risk have been published,” explains the IARC in a question and answer dedicated. In fact, more than 1,000 publications have been added to the already substantial mass available on the subject.
Young people also affected
Several types of cancer have already been linked to being overweight. Colon, rectum, esophagus, kidneys, breast in postmenopausal women and endometrium are affected by excess weight. As soon as the threshold of 25 kg / m2 (body mass index) is exceeded, the risk increases.
Maintaining a healthy weight protects against eight other forms of cancer, add IARC experts on August 25. The gastroesophageal junction, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, ovaries and thyroid benefit. The risk of developing meningioma or multiple myeloma is also increased with being overweight.
Adults are not the only ones paying the price: excess weight in children and adolescents is also serious. Researchers have observed an increased risk of the same cancers, and in the same proportion, when these patients reach adulthood.
40% of the population
The team is more cautious about prostate and breast cancer in men as well as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. There is not enough evidence to conclude on this subject, she said.
These conclusions will have a major effect on the assessment of the damage caused by overweight and obesity: the number of victims of overweight has undoubtedly been underestimated. However, 40% of the world’s population is affected and this share continues to increase.
For IARC Director Christopher Wild, the implementation of international recommendations is necessary. “This new evidence shows how important it is, if we are to tackle the problem of cancers and noncommunicable diseases, to identify effective ways of implementing the WHO recommendations on improving diet and health. ‘lifelong physical activity, at individual and societal levels,’ he commented in a statement.
The strategy is simple on paper: limit calorie intake, increase the consumption of foods with the right nutritional profile (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, etc.) and physical activity in children and adults. In fact, the application of these tips is difficult to achieve.
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