Study Links Obesity to Certain Cancers

WNBC News (New York) ^ | April 24, 2003 | WNBC News (New York)

[VermiciousKnid]

Study Links Obesity To Certain Cancers Researchers Unsure Why Connection Exists UPDATED: 10:34 a.m. EDT April 24, 2003

BOSTON -- New research suggests carrying extra pounds could increase the risk of certain cancers.

A study published in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine shows that not only does being overweight increase the likelihood of diabetes and heart disease, it also increases the risk of cancer.

"This is really important," said Dr. Graham Colditz, of the Harvard School of Public Health. "We can unequivocally say 14 percent of cancer in men and 20 percent in women is due to being overweight and obesity."

That's 90,000 deaths each year that could be prevented if Americans maintained a normal weight. Colditz said putting on an extra pound here and there can be dangerous over time.

The study, led by the American Cancer Society, included 16 years of data on 900,000 people who were cancer-free when the study began in 1982.

"Typically we've been looking at a 20- to 40-pound gain over the weight at the end of high school as indicating an increase in risk of cancer," Colditz said.

The study also suggests that certain cancers not previously linked with obesity actually are, including cervical, ovarian, pancreatic, and liver cancer, as well as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

"It's going to give us a much more powerful motivation to work at avoiding weight gain in adulthood because the payoff across many cancers is going to be substantial," Colditz said.

Outside experts say the amount of data is so large, and the study is so well done, that it just about proves a link between fat and cancer.

Previously, researchers linked breast, colon and gallbladder cancer with obesity. Doctors said it's not clear what the connection is, although the theory is being overweight changes hormone levels, which somehow affects cancer cell growth.

[VermiciousKnid]

I'm looking into my crystal ball and I'm seeing...lawsuits against McDonald's (and soon, they WON'T be thrown out of court).

Regards,

[xrp]

Whew, I'm glad I'm 185 pounds and 6'1"!

I also avoid McDonald's! But I do admit to going to Chick Fil A.

[The Red Zone]

Is there such a thing as cancer of the, er, spare tire? I've heard of just about every part of the body getting a cancer, except for the fat itself.

[T'wit]

So, to avoid cancer, we quit smoking, and that makes us gain eighty pounds and we get a cancer anyway.

[VermiciousKnid]

Just one more thing that's going to kill us all.

I swear, I don't know how some people get up in the morning with all the worrying they do.

Anyway, I predict that it's just a matter of time before Ronald McDonald is hauled into court like Joe Camel -- they'll say, "This happy clown is deceiving. He's not the harmless character we imagined him to be -- no, no...he's REALLY an Evil Pied-Piper leading our poor, unsuspecting children down the unhappy road to artheriosclerosis and CANCER! It's time to end his reign. For the chilluns."

Regards,

[VermiciousKnid]

So, to avoid cancer, we quit smoking, and that makes us gain eighty pounds and we get a cancer anyway.

That's about the gist of it, yeah.

Regards,

[Iris7]

Well, Vermicious, can't say but that you're correct.

[VermiciousKnid]

Iris,

To be totally honest, I actually uttered those words (minus the crack about cancer) the same day I first heard they were going after Joe Camel. That's what...7-8 years ago now?

Regards,

[Wilhelm Tell]

Probably a lot of the people in the study have other problems in addition to being overweight. Things like lack of exercise and eating junk food and refined sugar. Having extra pounds is just the result of many choices. But our courts have been on a junk lawsuit diet for so long I can see someone who never exercises winning a lawsuit against McDonald's for being overweight. Many people believe that others are to blame for their own poor choices and they have a gimmie, gimmie, the world owes me a living attitude. The courts more and more resemble a lottery.

[VermiciousKnid]

Well, this is what happens when we allow the government to run our lives as much as we do. After all, the tobacco lawsuits never would have gotten anywhere had the lawyers and the spin meisters not succeeded in convincing people that they were helpless to control themselves due to an "addiction," and that this "addiction" was now costing society money.

As for those who sue for this kind of thing...what can I tell you? Some people just don't want to live with their decisions, and again, we as a society (via the jury box) think it's perfectly OK to sue -- just look at how "reasonable" juries hand over money like it was so much wastepaper -- there are even some jurisdictions that are known to the lawyers as "the cash machine."

Something is terribly, terribly wrong here.

Regards,

[billorites]

"Whew, I'm glad I'm 185 pounds and 6'1"!

Hmm. My kinda gal.

Message me.

[kms61]

In another article I read that this study was based on Body Mass Index...which has some flaws. For one thing, using BMI as an indicator of obesity can falsely identify people who are very muscular as obese.

Does the study mean that very fit, muscular people are also at increased risk for cancer? I haven't seen that addressed in any of the articles I've seen, and I suspect it's because the researchers didn't take that into consideration.

[VermiciousKnid]

While this little blurb of an article doesn't mention it, WNBC News interviewed a doctor about it (his name escapes me). He said that the study was talking more about the "spare tire" type of abdominal obesity rather than merely mass.

Nevertheless, the same doc also said "we must do something about the obesity problem." I can only imagine what that "something" might be.

Regards,

[yankeedame]

I'm no statistician but when you set a parameter and vast majority of the test subjects "fail" to fall within those parameters - whose fault is that? The subjects tested or your parameters?

IOW, if 80+% of Americans are obese according to "their" standards (and yet these same Americans are living longer than ever, and are getting taller as well has heavier) could it be that the standards used are unrealistic?

[VermiciousKnid]

IOW, if 80+% of Americans are obese according to "their" standards (and yet these same Americans are living longer than ever, and are getting taller as well has heavier) could it be that the standards used are unrealistic?

Sure it could mean that. In fact, I believe it probably IS an unreasonable standard which has been set so as to somehow allow for these McDonald's-type lawsuits, thereby causing a "crisis of obesity" which will, of course, require government intervention. (See The War on Smokers)

Further, I firmly believe that most longevity is a result of genetics. Some people are pre-disposed to long life, and some are not. In my family, for instance, we tend to live very long lives -- three of my grandparents lived into their late 80's, even though NONE of them lived what we would consider today to be "health-conscious" lives. I have one living grandmother. She is 101. She's most definitely OLD. She sometimes doesn't recognize me anymore, and four people could use the bathrooom in the time it takes the old gal to get up from her chair and into the bathroom herself, but her heart is strong and she is in otherwise excellent health. She also smokes like a chimney (with supervision), and has been doing so for 85 years.

I can't help but think I've got a very good chance at hitting my own century mark -- pretty much no matter WHAT I do besides get hit by a bus. If I'm wrong...well...I can guarantee you that I won't be SUING anybody over it. I'll take my dirt nap & start pushing up daisies like a good sport.

Regards,

[this_ol_patriot]

You can be sure of one thing.
Doctors and scientists will never do a test that would put them out of a job.
Don't look for a cancer cure anytime soon, it's too big a business for too many people. Yes, Big Cancer is actually a bigger business than Big Tobacco and Big Fast Food.

[VermiciousKnid]

Yes, Big Cancer is actually a bigger business than Big Tobacco and Big Fast Food.

You've said a mouthful here. There was a time when I would have thought you crazy and/or a cynic. Not anymore.

Regards,

[this_ol_patriot]

If they say well how come we are fighting fat and smoking it's because the cancer rates never change only the type and time frame of the cancer. If lung cancer doesn't get you another type will, when is the question. The big three cancer, heart disease and diabetes no matter how you slice them they always add up to 100%.

[Iris7]

I enjoy your humor.

[this_ol_patriot]

I was being a bit cynical but my point stands, there is big bucks in worrying the healthy about being sick.