Do you know weight gain raises Colorectal cancer risk? People today are suffering from colon cancer are because of poor lifestyle. Being overweight raises the chances of getting colon cancer.
It is difficult to believe that in India, just a decade ago, cancer was not a commonly known disease, but at present cancer is on the rise and prevalence in the country. Changing lifestyles, smoking, consumption of tobacco, increased consumption of alcohol, changing dietary habits, obesity, late age pregnancy and fewer births, environment pollution urbanization are all related to a significant increase in incidence of cancer in India.
Colorectal cancer is the most common form of cancer in India after lung, breast and cervix. In the Indian scenario, Colorectal cancer stands fourth in men and third in women with respect to incidence and mortality rates. Cancer that occurs in the colon or rectum is termed colorectal cancer. It can also be termed as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer depending upon in which part of the body the noncancerous polyps gradually develop into cancer. Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer among men and the third most common type of cancer among women.
While those who are most likely to suffer from colon cancer are usually over the age of 50, increasingly younger people are also falling ill from colon cancer. The most likely reasons why younger people today are falling ill from colon cancer are because of poor lifestyle choices made by them. A recent study that was published in the JAMA Oncology Journal has shown that individuals with a high Body Mass Index (BMI) were more likely to get colon cancer at a young age. An individual with a BMI between 18 and 24 is regarded as healthy while people with a BMI between 25 and 29 are overweight and those with a BMI over 29 are obese. Being overweight or obese raises the chances of getting colon cancer. The study found that among women, being overweight or obese doubles the risk of developing colorectal cancer before the age of 50.
Findings of the Study
The study led by the Washington School of Medicine in St Louis and published in the JAMA Oncology Journal included data from more than 85,000 women who were aged between 25 and 44. According to the study having a high BMI at a young age and gaining weight over the years increased the likelihood that a woman would get colorectal cancer before the age of 50. Studies conducted earlier had shown that being overweight or obese increases the likelihood of colorectal cancer among men as well.
Lifestyle choice such as smoking, physical inactivity, heavy use of alcohol, a diet rich in red meat such as pork and beef and processed meats such as sausages and bacon are also more likely to lead to colorectal cancer.
The Link between Obesity and Colorectal Cancer
Although today doctors aren’t entirely sure how obesity raises the risk of colorectal cancer, they have a number of possible explanations. One possible explanation is inflammation as obese people tend to have chronic low levels of inflammation which can cause damage to DNA and subsequently lead to colorectal cancer. Also, as obese people are more likely to have other health conditions that are related to inflammation including ulcerative colitis which is an inflammatory bowel condition that poses a greater risk of developing colorectal cancer regardless of one’s weight.
Another possible reason why obese people may be more likely to get colorectal cancer is that obese people have increased blood levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 which may promote the development of colorectal cancer. Another possible hypothesis between the link between obesity and colorectal cancer is that fat cells produce adipokines which are hormones that inhibit or promote cell growth.
Other secondary reasons why obese people are more likely to develop colorectal cancer are that obese people are more likely to eat diets that are less healthy. Such diets are often high in fat and red meat and eating red meat is likely to lead to colorectal cancer. While another secondary reason is that obese people take part in fewer physical activities which causes them to be obese and hence makes them more likely to get colorectal cancer.
However, it is important to know that not everyone who is overweight or obese gets colorectal cancer. Doctors believe that whether or not someone gets colorectal cancer depends on the interplay of a number of different factors just one of which is being overweight or obese.
Dr. Parameshwar CM,
Chief, SIICP (Bengaluru Smiles)
No 423, 1st Main, Gokula, 2, 60 Feet Rd,
Near SBI Bank, 1st Stage,
Mathikere, Bengaluru, 560054
Ph: 080990 08800
