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Excess weight causes thousands of more cases of bowel, kidney, liver and ovarian cancer than cigarettes every year. And people who are dangerously overweight now outweigh smokers by two to one, experts say, with almost a third of British adults classed as obese.
Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of cancer but the number of smokers is falling while obesity rates rise. The figures were released by Cancer Research UK in the midst of a ‘fat shaming’ row centred around their latest campaign raising awareness of the dangers of obesity.
The charity has revealed around 1,900 more cases of bowel cancer are caused by obesity than smoking in the UK each year. Being dangerously overweight also causes 1,400 more cases of kidney cancer, 460 more cases of ovarian cancer and 180 more cases of liver cancer than smoking does. And although smoking is more damaging, sheer numbers mean the burden of obesity-related disease is swelling.
There are around 13.4million obese people who don’t smoke, compared to 6.3million smokers who are a healthy weight. It’s a problem which isn’t showing signs of slowing down, either, with one in 10 children now obese by the age of five and a fifth of them overweight by age 11.
Scientists have so far identified that obesity causes 13 types of cancer but the mechanisms aren’t fully understood. ‘So further research is needed to find out more about the ways extra body fat can lead to cancer.’ The charity is calling on the Government to act on its ambition to halve childhood obesity rates by 2030 by banning junk food adverts on TV and online before 9pm. Other measures should include restricting promotional offers on unhealthy food and drinks, it said. Like smoking, obesity puts millions of adults at greater risk of cancer.’