The American Institute for Cancer Research just released a study showing that many types of cancer are linked to excess body fat and that over 100,000 new cases of cancer each year are caused by obesity.
For example, each year obesity is estimated to cause 33,000 cases of breast cancer, 20,700 cases of endometrial cancer, 13,900 cases of kidney cancer, 13,200 cases of colorectal cancer, 11,900 cases of pancreas cancer and 5,800 cases of esophagus cancer. Researchers have also noted links between obesity and liver cancer, myeloma, and leukemia, but are doing more studies to confirm the links.
That makes me want to go out and take a jog.
Just have to make sure that I don’t get hit by a car and that I don’t get lung cancer from all the pollutants in the air.
so please tell me why we hand out quit smoking packets to the smokers but have to do training on being more sensitive to the needs of the obese? Every smoker we admit gets an order for a nicotine patch… the BMI impaired get a diet order for regular i.e. all you can eat.
From the article:
“Insulin is a prime suspect,” she says. “Insulin resistance and elevated insulin levels frequently occur in obese people. Insulin is a very powerful cellular growth factor, and it affects cancer cells.”
Two things I get from this statement, and the article which had very little in the way of actual facts (not like most people care):
1 – Sounds like insulin is causing an increase in growth of cancer cells, NOT causing normal cells to become cancerous.
2 – If this had been conclusively proven, they would have said so – “Insulin is a prime SUSPECT.” Therefore, even the one actual fact of substance in the entire press release is a hypothesis that needs further testing before released to the public as proof that being fat will give you cancer.
I’d like to comment more but I haven’t found the actual study yet to read it and see how they determined that being fat causes cancer.
If it’s true then based on national stats for obesity epidemic then it seems there will be a correlating cancer epidemic?
Frightening concept.
Sometimes I wonder if people were happier when they weren’t bombarded with all the news blurbs everyday informing everyone of all the dangers lurking around every activity, lifestyle, environment, etc.
@SeaSpray,
I direct you to a great philosopher who was known by the name of Red Skelton.
He used to say that he refused to take life too seriously because none of us was going to survive it anyway.
Ha ha!!
WWW -you made me laugh out loud.
I like that – thanks!
**RANT ALERT**
I need to see more information. For a majority of the morbidly obese, it seems there would be a high likelihood much of the cancer could be related to what these people choose to eat, not how much I see an awfully lot of artificial foods going out of the supermarket with the really fat people.
And I am tired of seeing how all heavy people are automatically assumed to have “fork-in-mouth” disease. My family has been through hell and back getting hormone imbalances diagnosed and treated. We’ve had to fight tooth-and-nail to get doctors even to look into the possibilities of hormone issues (not that we are morbidly obese, but one of my daughters and I carry an unpleasantly extra 30 pounds or so). *ding!* After years of struggle, we DO have hormone issues. Daughter with PCOS/adrenal issues and thyroid hormone resistance (she has so much reverse T3 there is no way her thyroid supplement is getting into her cells) among other things.
Anyone know how frustrating it is to eat 1100 carefully chosen calories a day, exercise vigorously for an hour a day, and still be overweight? And then have doctors say “you are a LIAR!” when you try to convince them you are not stuffing your face. OH…and then they tell you “you can’t possibly have THAT particular hormone problem, do you know how RARE it is?”
And I think to myself, “yeah, and it’s going to STAY rare of no one bothers to LOOK for it”.
Can you tell I am weary of the war on fat people and I think the issue needs to be approached with more sensitivity and care by all of you in the medical profession.
End of rant.
The first point that you make is a good one. Is it the fried food and empty calories or is it the increased adipose tissue that actually causes the cancer?
I never mentioned anything about people stuffing their faces in this post. I only mentioned the study and alluded to how, as stated by Master Ugway in the movie Kung Fu Panda, “some people meet their destiny on the road that they take to avoid it” – hence the crack about getting cancer or hit by a car while out jogging.
I’ve read that toxins are stored in the adipose tissue ..which is also a good reason for sweating.. because that helps to remove the toxins.
So..possibly the additional toxins would be the reason for that. Or..is the immune system compromised because of the additional work of functioning from said adipose tissue?
Is there more stress?
Family history?
Environmental?
So many variables to be considered.
I’m reading a book about having a healthy heart/circulation, etc. and I don’t know if this is true.. but I am more at risk because I rarely drink alcohol. Go figure. But can’t alcohol increase your risk of cancer or is it certain kinds?
I know studies are important..but they can make you crazy. Then everyone hears the news blurb about why hormones taken in post menopausal women will protect their heart ..or eggs are bad for you .. or drink bottled water -bottled water is bad for you and everyone gets on the bandwagon for a few years and then another study counters it because the first study was skewed in some way, etc.
It’s so simple and yet so hard ..everything in moderation is probably the key.
There are definitely biases against overweight people..assumptions made and then other times ..right on target. I think most people are heavy because of an imbalance of calories in, energy expended and now they are saying lack of sleep.
Btw…I think it would be awesome if I actually got a consistent full night’s sleep and lost weight! of course I’d have to turn into Sleeping Beauty to lose what I want to.
I have heard that for years that obese people were at higher risk for colon and breast cancers. But thin people do get the diseases too. Why the disparity in statistics?
Again.. when it comes to weight studies… there are so many variables to be considered.
I don’t understand how a controlled study can *accurately* reflect the obese population so that it can realistically isolate *obesity* as the sole cause of increased cancer rates within that population.
Is it just simply.. when they count the numbers.. taking into consideration thin people have different variables too.. that over all ..statistically speaking.. it is still the heavier people with more cancers?
Still ..I’d be curious to know the criteria used.
Interesting post, WC. I’m considered obese, and the majority of my adipose tissue is in my trunk.
I’ve been on diets (legit & not-so-legit), taken weight loss supplements, exercised, you name it…
My history of corticosteroid dependence played a big role in my weight issues. But finally, I lost 30 lbs in the last 5 months just by changing not only what I eat, but when I eat it & how much. I made breakfast my biggest meal of the day, and with very little exercise, managed to lose those 30 lbs. Everybody thinks I’m taking some magic potion! The thought that excess fat may lead to cancer is very frightening for me though, because I also rely on an anti-TNF alpha drug to control my symptoms of Crohn’s disease, which also increases my risk of cancer….
Hi Motts -Congrats on the 30lbs! I know how hard that is.
I love breakfast but have a hard time eating until mid afternoon and I am diabetic. I have to make myself. I’d rather just drink coffee and water while doing things ..but then I eat more at night.
Good for you Motts.
Thanks Seaspray… it was actually unintentional, if you can believe that. Part of the weight loss was from adding just a little more activity to my lifestyle so it wasn’t all about changing eating
habits. I still have junk like chocolate & fritos every now and then, but sparingly.
I never mentioned anything about people stuffing their faces in this post.
Sorry Dr. WC, I didn’t mean to imply you were referring to people stuffing their faces! It’s just that recently I’ve seen a lot of blog posts lately from medical professionals (doctors, nurses, etc.) alluding to the idea that obese people are less deserving of medical care than “normals” and the idea that all obesity has the identical cause.
This for example (though a milder comment than most I’ve seen): “Every smoker we admit gets an order for a nicotine patch… the BMI impaired get a diet order for regular i.e. all you can eat.
It made me blow a cork for sure.
Sorry about that…my comment was not referencing situations such as yours. With your diet and exercise regime, you’re probably healthier than some thinner people. Somes studies have even suggested that a healthy weight not be so strigently tied to the BMI factor. Unfortunately there are people who are so out of range (100 lb plus) that take no effort such as yours to take healthier steps. Again my apologies…your effort is to be applauded.
Don’t know if you’re still following after a week, but thanks for your response.
Unfortunately there are people who are so out of range (100 lb plus) that take no effort such as yours to take healthier steps
Yeah, our town is full of the truly obese. I feel sad because they don’t seem to know how to live differently.
Marilyn ..your not alone there. I felt bad when I read that too.
Like I said earlier..there are so many variables… with obesity.
The thing with weight..if it were so easy to lose… everyone would do it.
There wouldn’t be a huge industry for weight loss products, programs, meds, etc.
And if it were so easy to keep off ..most people would not gain it all back and then some.
there are plenty of addictions to go around.. with obesity ..your addiction shows for all the world to see.
It does seem unnecessary. i recently read in a book about surgeons .. where this one surgeon ..who wrestled with weight all his life stated that there is something in an overweight person’s brain that keeps telling them they are hungry..even when they shouldn’t be. i will have to go find the book.
Just saying that it is not as black and white as it may seem.
I checked out the relevant website, and it would appear that the report on which the claims are based is self-published by the organization. While it’s certainly possible that the conclusions are valid, I guess I just don’t put too much faith in research that has not been published in an appropriate journal.
Another day, another thinly-veiled “stop being such a fat fatty, you fat fatty, ps you’re FAT you fatty mcfatserson stop being such a FAT DISGUSTING RICH AMERICAN FAT FAT FAAAAAAAAAT!!!!!”
Given how low the obesity bar is set, it’s hardly surprising that there’s a “correlation” between obesity and cancer. I’m pretty sure there’s a similar correlation between obesity and car wrecks, or obesity and getting kicked in the nuts.