Why does losing weight help prevent colon cancer?
Obesity, defined as having a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or greater, increases the risk of developing colorectal cancer. Reducing your weight-to-height ratio lowers your BMI, which decreases your risk of developing cancer of the colon or rectum. Can't change your height, so the only thing left is your weight.All other things equal, obese men seem to be more at risk for colon cancer than obese women. Also, certain body types seem to influence risk more than others. Studies indicate that extra fat in the waist (an apple shape) increases colon cancer risk more than extra fat in the thighs or hips (a pear shape).
Why should you care about losing weight?
Most overweight people have already tried (or are currently trying) to lose weight. So, for someone to say "Hey, you should really think about losing weight" may seem kind of stupid. Sorry about that, because all I can do here is add to the pressure.Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of U.S. cancer deaths for women and men combined. In fact, more lives are lost each year to colorectal cancer than to AIDS and breast cancer combined. If you love yourself and you love the people who care about you, you have good reasons to care about preventing colon cancer.
What should you do?
First, see if you're considered obese (by the CDC) and therefore at elevated risk for colon cancer. To do this, calculate your BMI. If it's 30 or greater, you should try to lose weight (or continue trying).If I could tell you how to lose weight quickly and easily, I would. And I'd be rich. But unfortunately, I'm not aware of any lasting quick fix for losing weight. I do have suggestions, though. In general, to reach and maintain a healthy weight, you'll need to eat smart and be active. Reading the article Exercising to Prevent Colon Cancer is a good place to start.
Losing weight is far from easy. Often times, it's frustrating and outright depressing. But it doesn't have to be that way. By eating smarter and incorporating physical activity into your life, you will lose weight. The results may be slower than you'd like, but you will lose weight. And when you do, you'll feel better and will have decreased your risk for many illnesses, including colon cancer.
Sources:
- Colorectal Cancer Prevention and Treatment. National Foundation for Cancer Research. 13 Aug. 2006 [http://www2.nfcr.org/site/PageServer?pagename=cancers_colorectal].
- CRC Facts and Figures. Colon Cancer Alliance. 21 Aug. 2006 [http://www.ccalliance.org/about/disease/crcfacts.html].
- Medical Encyclopedia: Colon Cancer. Medline Plus. 11 Aug. 2006. 21 Aug. 2006 [http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000262.htm].
- National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance. Colorectal Cancer Education CD-ROM.
- Overview: Colon and Rectum Cancer: What Causes Colorectal Cancer? American Cancer Society. 15 Mar. 2006. 13 Aug. 2006 [http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_2_2X_What_causes_colorectal_cancer.asp?sitearea=].
