Cancer fears for obese Britain

Soaring obesity rates have saddled Britain with a "cancer timebomb", an expert has warned.

Urgent action is needed to avert a massive increase in the number of cancer cases, according to Dr Greg Martin.

Research shows that up to 40% of cancers can be prevented through a healthy diet and regular exercise, he said.

Dr Martin, science and research manager at the World Cancer Research Fund, said: "There has been plenty of attention recently on the problems of obesity, but a lot of people still do not realise how closely obesity is linked to cancer.

"People getting fatter will lead to an increase in the number of cancer cases as surely as night follows day. You also have to add into the mix that cancer is largely an older person's disease, and the UK has an ageing population.

"So if you have an ageing population that is getting more obese, there could be really serious consequences in terms of the number of people getting cancer if people do not act now. It's a cancer timebomb."

In 2003, an estimated 4.3 million British men were obese - defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or above. BMI is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in metres squared.

By 2010, that figure is expected to have risen to 6.6 million.

Obesity is particularly linked to hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast cancer and endometrial cancer, cancer of the womb lining. It is also associated with oesophagus and bowel cancer, which can affect both women and men.

Dr Martin said he expected cancer rates to follow the pattern of obesity, which was spreading from one generation to another like an infectious disease.

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