Each year, about 30,000 Germans develop cancer due to Obesity.

Obesity and the associated metabolic disorders increase disorders the risk of a variety of cancer – this problem should not be underestimated.

Scientists of the German cancer research center (DKFZ) want to make, especially the risk to develop cancer, in the foreground – particularly the increasing obesity in early Childhood urgently requires preventive measures.

Since many of those Affected to play the effects are usually down, the “World Obesity Day” (the day of obesity) at the 4. March on the world-wide spread Problem of severe Obesity attention.

Study obesity as a risk factor for cancer

Obesity or obesity is medically called “obesity” and represents a significant cancer risk factor, surprisingly, is this a fact but only the least known.

In the year 2018, the DKFZ calculated epidemiologists Ute Mons, and Hermann Brenner was able to stand in a study, what are the risk factors cases, in fact, in Compounds with Cancer in Germany.

The result showed that 6.9 per cent of the cases, the Affected patients because of their Obesity to cancer.

Experts of the international cancer research Agency in Lyon (IARC) found in 2016 in an investigation, particularly breast cancer after menopause, colon and rectum cancer, uterine cancer (endometrial cancer), esophageal cancer and renal cell cancer in obese people occur significantly more frequently than at normal weight.

Especially unhealthy belly fat the cancer driver is

In addition, the study results showed that obese people suffer more often from liver or pancreas cancer, ovarian cancer or Multiple myeloma, which suggests a relationship between dose and effect.

Therefore, the following applies: the greater the obesity pronounced, the higher the risk of cancer.

Obesity plays however, not all types of cancer, the same role – of the uterus and of renal cancer or Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus is due to almost half of all cases of obesity.

Rudolf Kaaks, an epidemiologist at the DKFZ, in addition to concerns: “in Particular, dasviszerale fat, so the unhealthy belly fat, is the cancer of the driver, not so much the fat deposits on buttocks and legs. Therefore, people who actually go as slim by often, there is an increased risk of cancer, without knowing anything about it.”

Therefore, the cancer risk increases in Obese

Especially in the case of Overweight increased amounts of the growth factor IGF (“Insulin-like growth factor are located in the body”) – this drives the cell and thus cancer growth.

However, we now know that inflammation and sex hormones as a rule, can be the rights of cancer of the accelerator, particularly the sex hormones act on many cell growth – this also applies to cancer cells.

Mathias Heikenwälder, metabolism, researchers at the DKFZ explains: “the biological agents that Obesity promotes cancer, include, for example, sex hormones and inflammatory messenger substances produced by the adipose tissue.”

The number of overweight children will continue to rise

Often, the risk factor obesity has its origin in Childhood, which prepares the experts especially Worried.

Hermann Brenner refers to an international investigation, and explained: “It is expected that in 2022 the world is more obese than underweight 5 – to 19-Year-old life. Within only 40 years, between 1975 and 2016, increased the Rate of obese children from under one percent to almost six percent in girls and almost eight percent among the young.”

In fact, children and adolescents developed by the underweight to the obese population group – this applies to many parts of the world.

Burner therefore sees considerable need for action: “Preventive measures should be given the highest priority. So a simple labelling of food and a health-promoting price could deliver policy, for example through differentiated VAT rates, major incentives for a healthy diet in the family. The school environment should urgently promote a balanced diet and adequate exercise.”

Sources

  • German Cancer Research Center: World Obesity Day 4. March: obesity – a number of major cancer risk factor, retrieved on 04.03.2020 https://www.dkfz.de/de/presse/pressemitteilungen/2020/dkfz-pm-20-11-Adipositas-schwergewichtiger-Krebsrisikofaktor.php
  • Aerzteblatt.de cancer by Obesity, low physical activity and unhealthy diet, retrieved on 04.03.2020 https://www.aerzteblatt.de/archiv/199673/Krebs-durch-Uebergewicht-geringe-koerperliche-Aktivitaet-und-ungesunde-Ernaehrung
  • The New England Journal of Medicine: Body Fatness and Cancer — Viewpoint of the IARC Working Group, retrieved on 03.04.2020 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsr1606602
  • The Lancet Journal: Worldwide trends in body mass index, underweight, overweight, and obesity from 1975 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 2416 population-based measurement studies in 128·9 million children, adolescents, and adults, retrieved on 04.03.2020 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)32129-3/fulltext

Antonia Hagedorn

*The contribution of “World Obesity Day: being Overweight increases the risk of developing cancer” is published by FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.