Obesity link to bowel cancer

THOUSANDS of Scots have developed bowel cancer because they are overweight.

Cancer Research UK said around 4,800 cases were caused by obesity in a decade. The charity is calling for restrictions on multi-buy offers on unhealthy food.

Every year in Scotland, there are around 3,800 cases of bowel cancer. Around 1,600 Scots a year die from the disease.

More than a tenth of those cases are linked to excess weight, estimates show, with that proportion rising over time.

Stirling University professor Linda Bauld is Cancer Research UK’s cancer prevention expert. She said: ‘It is a huge worry to see so many bowel cancer cases being caused by excess weight.

‘Shoppers are bombarded with multibuy offers every time they set foot in a supermarket. We believe restricting these offers on unhealthy foods and drinks would go a long way to improving the health of the nation.’