| Several recent studies conducted by The World | | | | promote the growth of certain tumors. Another |
| Cancer Research Fund, Cambridge University and | | | | possible explanation is that obesity contributes to |
| the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, among others, | | | | cancer growth by more rapid cell division. |
| have revealed a stronger than previously believed | | | | In some instances, mechanical factors may play a |
| link between being overweight and the risk of | | | | role in certain cancers, for instance in esophageal |
| developing certain cancers. | | | | cancer, the culprit being increased to chronic acid |
| Prior to the recent studies, only endometrial | | | | reflux, which obese people are far more likely to |
| cancer - cancer of the womb lining - had been | | | | develop. |
| linked to obesity. The new studies reveal strong | | | | In a study published in the New England Journal of |
| links between abdominal fat (yep, the beer belly, | | | | Medicine (Vol. 348, No. 17: 1625-1638), researchers |
| or if you prefer, love handles) and bowel cancer, | | | | determined that obesity may account for 20% of |
| pancreatic cancer, post-menopausal breast cancer, | | | | all cancer deaths in women and 14% in men in |
| kidney cancer, esophagus cancer, gall bladder | | | | the U.S. Professor Sir Michael Marmot, professor |
| cancer and endometrial cancer. | | | | of Public Health at University College London said |
| One possible explanation is that the extra weight | | | | "We are recommending that people aim to be as |
| boosts the body's production of hormones such | | | | lean as possible within the healthy range, and that |
| as insulin, estrogen and insulin-like growth factor 1. | | | | they avoid weight gain throughout adulthood. |
| Each of these hormones have the potential to | | | | |