A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that in general, men and women with thick middles were at increased risk for developing colon cancer. However, certain postmenopausal women with fatty waists seemed to side-step the risk.
When researchers examined data for more than 350,000 men and women from nine European countries, they found that in general, people with large waists and low hip-to-waist ratios (i.e., no hips) were at increased risk for colon cancer. There has been a lot of talk about weight impacting colorectal cancer risk, so you may have expected results like this. But, the study also found a couple of unexpected things.
What's Different About This Study?
First, the researchers didn't find any relationship between thick middles and rectal cancer risk. (Studies often combine the two, so you can't tell if it only increases the risk for one of them.)Second, the study found that postmenopausal women with large waists and low hip-to-waist ratios were not at increased risk for colon cancer, provided they were using hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The study made a point of stressing that the findings regarding HRT require further confirmation, so it's not a free ticket for postmenopausal women to treat every day like Thanksgiving. But, it is something for women to think about when considering the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy.
Related Research:
- Obese Women are Four Times More Likely to Develop Colon Cancer
- Obesity Increases Colorectal Cancer Risk in Women
- Pros and Cons of Hormone Replacement Therapy
- What is Your Ideal Weight?
- Ten Ways to Fail at Weight Loss
- How to Lose Weight in a Healthy Way
