Research from the World Cancer Research Fund’s Continuous Update Project (CUP) has revealed that over 20,000 cancer cases could be avoided annually if the UK population were to lose weight.
The report found that more than six out of ten Britons are overweight or obese. Each year 123,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with weight-related cancer. Nearly 20 percent of these could be unquestionably avoided.
Body weight was reported by the CUP to impact the diagnosis and development of cancers in the breast, bowel, oesophagus, kidney, womb and gall bladder. The report focused on pancreatic cancer which is fifth most common cause of cancer death in the UK. 15 percent of pancreatic cancer cases could be avoided by losing weight.
Excess weight can cause a number of problems to health, inflammation within the blood vessels of the body which means that bad cholesterol is more likely to block the flow of blood. This puts extra pressure on the heart and can lead to the development of hypertension, stroke and heart disease. Additionally, carrying excess fat, particularly visceral fat can lead to insulin resistance, diabetes and immune system dysfunction.
Stress is a major cause of weight gain and obesity, often when an individual is stressed, they may eat foods that are fast and subsequently highly processed, sugary drinks and excess amounts of caffeine have all been found to contribute to weight gain.
Stress management techniques such as mindfulness as well as gentle relaxation techniques such as yoga and tai chi could significantly improve health, decrease weight and help prevent illness.
