Rising obesity 'may double cancer'
Updated on 04 November 2008
The number of people suffering cancer could double in the next 40 years unless steps are taken to stem the rising tide of obesity, an expert has warned.
Professor Martin Wiseman, medical and scientific adviser at the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), said today's children face a future blighted by the disease unless something is done to curb obesity rates.
Speaking ahead of a conference organised by the charity and the Association for the Study of Obesity (ASO), Prof Wiseman said there could be a dramatic rise in the number of people suffering cancer.
Figures suggest that a third of women and half of men will be obese in the next 40 years, he said.
"The evidence now shows that, after not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight is the most important thing you can do for cancer prevention. This means that if rates of obesity continue to rise then this will have serious consequences for cancer rates in the UK.
"Unless something happens soon to stop the increase in obesity then we are sleepwalking towards a situation where the UK will be facing more cancer cases than ever before.
"Rising obesity rates are not the only reason we expect the number of cancer cases to double over the next 40 years, but it is an important factor."
Professor John Wilding, chairman of the ASO, added: "This is an extremely important subject because there is convincing evidence that excess body fat is a cause of several types of cancer.
"This is why it is so important that we understand and promote this subject as much as possible."
Excess body fat is linked to cancer of the bowel, breast, womb, oesophagus, kidney and pancreas.
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