What's the one thing YOU can do to protect against cancer? It's simple, LOSE WEIGHT, says expert

  • Study found 12,000 cases of cancer in the UK each year linked to obesity 
  • Obesity is known to increase the risk of various forms of the disease
  • Excess fat produces the hormone oestrogen - which fuels breast cancer
  • In men, having a beer belly, raises the chances of developing colon cancer
  • 'Losing weight for your health not figure, is proved to give better results' 

By Lizzie Parry For Dailymail.com

Published: 13:20 EST, 15 October 2015 | Updated: 20:09 EST, 15 October 2015

A recent study found around 12,000 cancers in the UK alone each year are linked to obesity

A recent study found around 12,000 cancers in the UK alone each year are linked to obesity

The world in the grips of an obesity epidemic.

More than a third of Americans and one in five Brits tip the scales at obese, while millions more are deemed too fat.

As waistlines bulge, and clothing requirements become supersized, rates of potentially deadly illness and disease are soaring.

Type 2 diabetes, a condition intrinsically linked to obesity, is on the rise.

And, as a recent study has highlighted, so too are a number of cancers.

The research, published in the Lancet journal, analysed data relating to more than five million people to establish the links between obesity and cancer.

And the results were stark.

More than 12,000 new cancers every year in the UK alone are associated with being overweight.

Furthermore, a person's risk of developing the disease increases in line with their waistline.

Researchers found that for every five point increase in a person's body mass index (BMI) they could be 62 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with cancer of the uterus, and 25 per cent more likely to develop kidney cancer.

These are daunting statistics that are hard to face.

But, unlike hereditary cancer risks, it is the one factor that every person can tackle to lower their cancer risk, and give their body's the best chance of avoiding the disease.

Weight-loss expert and NHS consultant, Dr Sally Norton told Daily Mail Online one of the ways being overweight increases the risk of cancer lies in the fact, excess fat doesn't just sit around your middle doing nothing.

'It produces hormones - one of which is oestrogen,' she said. 'After the menopause, when the ovaries have stopped producing hormones, fat is the main source of oestrogen.

'This means that post-menopausal women who are overweight, are at greater risk of tumours that are stimulated by oestrogen.'

This group of cancers includes some types of breast cancer, endometrial cancer - where the disease affects the lining of the womb - and, some studies suggest ovarian cancer too.

Dr Norton adds: 'As many as 41 per cent of womb cancers may be attributable to obesity.' 

Excess fat not only increases the risk of some breast cancers, it also renders treatment less effective.

Dr Norton points to a recent study, in mice, which found reducing food intake may reduce the risk of breast cancer spreading.

The research has prompted an ongoing trial into nutritional advise and weight-loss in women undergoing breast cancer treatment.

When it comes to the males of the species, being overweight or obese increases the chance of being diagnosed with colon cancer.

Weight-loss consultant Dr Sally Norton warns excess fat in the body increases the production of the hormone oestrogen, which can increase a woman's risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer, illustrated

Weight-loss consultant Dr Sally Norton warns excess fat in the body increases the production of the hormone oestrogen, which can increase a woman's risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer, illustrated

'It is more likely in people with a higher waist to hip ratio - the classic male beer belly - and may be associated with increased insulin levels, seen in type 2 diabetes,' Dr Norton told Daily Mail Online.

'Around 10 per cent of colon cancers are linked to obesity.' 

Another type of cancer, thought to be linked to being overweight, is liver cancer.

Fatty liver disease is on the rise, as obesity levels increase.

The condition is also seen in those people with type 2 diabetes - also linked to obesity - and is more common in those people who carry most of their weight around their middle - so called apple-shapes, rather than pears.

With a few small and easy to achieve changes to our lives and eating behaviour we can do something to fight back against the big 'C', and be slimmer and healthier in many other ways too
Dr Sally Norton 

'Fatty liver disease can, in some cases, proceed to cirrhosis, which is a risk factor for liver cancer,' Dr Norton explains.

She added: 'Oesophageal adenocarcinoma - gullet cancer - is on the rise too, probably due to the increase in acid reflux we see in association with obesity.

'Losing weight can help your symptoms of indigestion, and should therefore reduce your risk of developing cancer later.' 

In addition, Dr Norton said obesity is also a risk factor for pancreatic, gallbladder, thyroid and kidney cancer.  

'While it is very difficult to prove that losing weight will reduce an individual's risk of cancer, studies on groups who have lost a lot of weight with weight-loss surgery show convincingly that there is a reduction in the number of cancers seen,' Dr Norton said. 

In order to reduce the risk of being diagnosed with cancer, Dr Norton reveals the signs to watch out for, and offers advise on how to shed the pounds:

WATCH FOR THE WARNING SIGNS 

If you spot any of the classic signs and symptoms of cancer, it is important to make an appointment and visit your doctor as soon as possible.

They will be able to assess your symptoms and, if necessary, ensure you receive the necessary diagnostic tests.

In men, being obese and carrying the majority of excess weight around the middle - an apple-shape - increases the risk of being diagnosed with colon cancer, pictured

In men, being obese and carrying the majority of excess weight around the middle - an apple-shape - increases the risk of being diagnosed with colon cancer, pictured

The signs to watch for include:

  1. Worsening acid reflux or indigestion, or the sensation of food sticking when you swallow
  2. A lump in your breast – check your breasts regularly and attend any mammograms that are booked for you. 
  3. Unusual bleeding between periods or after you thought your periods had stopped 
  4. Bleeding when you pass urine or open your bowels – or a change in your bowel habit such as constipation 
  5. A lump in your neck – or a change in your voice or breathing
  6. Pain in your tummy, unexplained weight loss or anything else that is unusual for you

Dr Norton said: 'Of course, most of these are more likely to be due to another, less worrying cause, however it’s well worth checking and your doctor will be able to reassure you or arrange appropriate tests if needed.'

TACKLE YOUR WEIGHT 

As well as ensuring you are in tune with changes in your body, and alert to the signs and symptoms the most simple thing you can do to reduce your risk is lose weight.

But, it is vital, Dr Norton said, that you tackle your weight in a sensible way.

'Don't  be tempted by the latest 'quick fix', as studies have shown that conventional dieting just doesn't work long-term.

'Eighty-five per cent of dieters regain all the weight they have lost, and more, by a year.

'Instead, you need to focus on making small, but sustainable changes to your eating behaviour and habits in general, to ensure slow, steady, weight-loss, that stays off.'

Dr Norton said with a few simple steps it is possible to lose weight and lower your risk of cancer, she said the key is to kickstart your weight loss to improve your health, rather than your figure

Dr Norton said with a few simple steps it is possible to lose weight and lower your risk of cancer, she said the key is to kickstart your weight loss to improve your health, rather than your figure

Dr Norton, founder of the Vavista Programme, said the plan instills 'just this ethos'.

'After years of personal research into an effective diet-free method of weight-loss it provides a lifetime of healthy habits that address why you eat, empower you with the knowledge to make informed food choices, encourage you to increase your fitness in an enjoyable way, and importantly, improve your wellbeing and happiness,' Dr Norton said.

'So, with a few small and easy to achieve changes to our lives and eating behaviour we can do something to fight back against the big 'C', and be slimmer and healthier in many other ways too.

'It's not about scaremongering, it's about being informed about the impact our weight has on our future health and taking responsibility for our own wellbeing.

'By changing our focus from an aesthetic goal to a health one, weight-loss has been proven to be more successful, and more rewarding.' 

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