Obesity to become women’s biggest preventable cause of cancer

New research by Cancer Research UK has found that obesity will overtake smoking as the biggest preventable cause of cancer among UK women in 25 years’ time.

The charity’s new report claims that, by 2035, 10 per cent of cancers in women, roughly 25,000 cases, could be caused by smoking and nine per cent, around 23,000 cases, by excess weight. However, if trends continue as projected, excess weight could cause even more cases of cancer than smoking in women by 2043.

While more males than females are overweight or obese, obesity has a greater effect on women, as some of the most common obesity-related cancers predominantly affect them – such as breast and womb cancers. Additionally, the same projections calculate that the gap between obesity and tobacco as causes of cancer is expected to close much later in men than in women.

Linda Bauld, Cancer Research UK’s prevention expert, said: “Obesity is a huge public health threat right now, and it will only get worse if nothing is done. The government must build on the lessons of smoking prevention to reduce the number of weight-related cancers by making it easier to keep a healthy weight and protect children, as those who are overweight are five times more likely to be so as an adult.

“That’s why we are raising awareness of the link between cancer and obesity and calling for measures to protect children like a ban on junk food adverts before 9pm and for restrictions on price promotions of ‘less healthy’ products. The decline in smoking is a cause for celebration. It shows how decades of effort to raise awareness about the health risks plus strong political action including taxation, removing tobacco marketing and a ban on smoking in indoor public places, have paid off. But, just as there is still more to do to support people to quit smoking, we also need to act now to halt the tide of weight-related cancers and ensure this projection never becomes a reality.”

In light of the new findings, Cancer Research UK is launching a UK-wide campaign to increase awareness that obesity is a cause of cancer.