Being overweight or obese increases the risk of developing 10 of the most common cancers, a large study using data from primary care has found.1

Every year more than 12 000 cases of these 10 types of cancer are attributable to high body mass index (BMI), the researchers calculated. And they estimated that, if the average BMI in the United Kingdom continues to increase, more than 3500 extra cancers could result every year.

Krishnan Bhaskaran, a postdoctoral fellow at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine who led the study, said, “The number of people who are overweight or obese is rapidly increasing, both in the UK and worldwide. It is well recognised that this is likely to cause more diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Our results show that, if these trends continue, we can also expect …

Source: www.bmj.com