Obesity will now ‘double risk of cancer’

BEING overweight may increase the risk of cancer by twice as much as previously thought, experts have revealed.

Excess body fat was thought to account for around six per cent of cancers in high-income countries – but analysis by the World Health Organisation suggests the figure could be “substantially higher”.

Researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) analysed of seven forms of the disease and found that being overweight accounted for almost eight per cent of all cases – far higher than the three per cent that was previously estimated.

It would make obesity the second biggest cause of cancer, after tobacco.

Previously, estimates were based on measures of someone’s height-toweight ratio – their BMI – while the new figures were based on genetic markers of obesity.

Avoidable

NHS chief executive Simon Stevens said that “if we continue to pile on the pounds, we’re heading for thousands more avoidable cancer deaths every year”.

He added: “The NHS Long-Term Plan is playing its part, but we cannot reverse the costly obesity epidemic alone.

“Families, food businesses and the Government all need to step up and take action.”

Prof Andrew Goddard, President of the Royal College of Physicians, said the study was “further evidence of the potentially devastating impact of obesity”.

He added: “Obesity not only increases the risk of cancer, but often leads to other health complications such as diabetes, infertility and liver disease.”

Last month, Cancer Research UK was criticised for a campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of obesity.

Critics accused the charity of “fat-shaming” over posters that warned: “Obesity is a cause of cancer too.”