Obesity and Cancer Risks: The Connection Between Cancer and Body Fat

Research continues to show a connection between obesity and cancer risks – a very scary connection, in fact.

Research shows that in some cancers, including:

• Colon cancer
• Postmenopausal breast cancer
• Endometrial cancer
• Kidney cancer and
• Cancer of the esophagus

25 to 30 percent of the cases may be attributed to obesity.

In addition, obesity and cancer risks with the gallbladder, ovaries and pancreas may be connected.

A 2002 study showed that as many as 41,000 new cases of cancer may be attributed to obesity, this translates into more than three percent of all new cancer cases.

A second report showed that 14 percent of cancer deaths in men and 20 percent in women are attributable to obesity and being overweight.

Clearly, there is a strong connection between obesity and cancer risks.

It is our hope that research can help eliminate this connection, but in the meantime it is important that those who are obese take action and work to overcome their disease so they can decrease their risk for cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

While the link between obesity and cancer risks varies for each type of cancer, and research has not uncovered the cause in many cases, there appears to be a link in the effect obesity has on the sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone and androgens) and insulin.

More research is being conducted to help pinpoint the connection of obesity and cancer risks.

One thing is clear, if you can overcome obesity you can help eliminate your increased risk for these types of cancer.

The best way to overcome obesity is to balance your calories consumed and your calories burned.

• Incorporate a proven, complete nutritional program into your daily life.
• Enhance your nutritional program with a complete mutivitamin supplement because no nutritional program is perfect.
• Use a behavior modification and motivational program that will help you stay on track with your nutritional plan.
• Exercise at home with your own:
  Treadmill

  Stairstepper

  Exercise bike

  Elliptical trainer

  Hand weights or

  An aerobic video.

• See what kinds of weight loss aids your health insurance covers such as:
  Hypnotism

  Gym membership discounts

  Nutritional counseling.

• Track how much you exercise on a calendar so you can feel motivated by your progress.
• Discover a new fruit.
• Try a new vegetable.
• Use low-fat salad dressings.
• Limit your desserts to special occasions.
• Watch your portion sizes.
• Eat well-balanced meals.

In addition, if you are specifically concerned about cancer, you can take that into consideration when you make lifestyle changes related to diet.

Research is showing that some foods are highly effective in reducing your risk for certain cancers.

For example:

• Broccoli can reduce your risk for colon and rectal cancers
• Carrots can reduce your risk for:
  Lung

  Mouth

  Throat

  Stomach

  Intestine

  Bladder

  Prostate and

  Breast cancers

• The chemical capsaicin, found in peppers and hot spices, can help reduce your risk for stomach cancer.

The connection between obesity and cancer risks should be taken seriously, and can help you take that important first step in overcoming obesity.

Remember, you do not have to stay in your current situation.

You can change your body and your life!

It is totally up to you.

Will you take the first step toward a new you starting right now?