Research published in the journal Gut found that obese women were much more likely to develop colorectal cancer than women who maintained a healthy weight.
Researchers examined data from 90,000 women who were taking part in a Canadian breast cancer screening program. They found that obese women were twice as likely to develop colorectal cancer than women who maintained a healthy weight.
Study results indicated that the obesity-related risk of developing colorectal cancer only applied to pre-menopausal women. They believe the reason for this has to do with the way the body uses and stores insulin and estrogen. Insulin has been linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer and estrogen is thought to help protect against colorectal cancer. Fat tissue is a source of both insulin and estrogen.
If you think you may be at increased risk for colorectal cancer because of your weight, please take a look at Losing Weight to Prevent Colon Cancer.
Related Research:
- Studies Find Thick Middles Increase Colon Cancer Risk
- Obese Women are Four Times More Likely to Develop Colon Cancer
