The Skinny on Cancer & Fat
Cancer loves fat - well... not quite. But how fat we are as a population is linked with our risk for cancer. Avoiding extra weight gain can help prevent Cancer of the colon, breast, esophagus, kidney and uterus.
MORE FAT = MORE RISK
A recent review, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that the higher your body mass index ( a measure of your weight and height) the higher your risk for cancer of the colon, stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidney and esophagus. Those who were obese had a higher risk for cancer than those who were overweight.
WOMEN & WEIGHT
For women, increased weight was linked to increased risk of cancer in the breast, uterus and ovary. Not only did excess weight increase the risk of getting these cancers but the more weight at the time of diagnosis of breast cancer was associated with worse survival. In one study eating a low-fat diet lead to 6 pounds of weight loss on average and decreased recurrence of breast cancer.
Body Mass Index (BMI): Aiming for a healthy BMI of 18.5-24.9 is best. You can calculate your BMI on-line and learn more about what this value means.
1. "Body Fatness and Cancer — Viewpoint of the IARC Working Group" B.atrice Lauby‑Secretan, Ph.D et al. n engl j med 375;8
2. "Dietary Fat Reduction and Breast Cancer Outcome: Interim Efficacy Results From the Women’s Intervention Nutrition Study." Rowan T. Chlebowski. J Natl Cancer Inst 2006;98: 1767 – 76