According to the ‘Vital Signs’ report released by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) earlier this week, over 40% of cancer cases observed among the U.S. population can be linked to obesity and overweight. Reliable sources state that nearly two out of three U.S. adults are currently obese, owing to which they would certainly be at a higher risk of being detected with cancer. In 2014, it was found that obesity was the main cause of cancer in approximately 6,30,000 patients. While the rate of cancer increased by 7% during the period from 2005 to 2014 in the obese population, it declined in the non-obese ones by 13%.
Researchers have stated that though a decline is observed in the number of new cancer cases after 1990, the rise in obesity-related cancers are likely to compensate for the decline. As per the report published by the CDC, nearly two out of every three adults belonging to the age group of 50-74 years in the U.S. were found to be obese during the period 2013-2024.
Medical experts have claimed that the cancer detected in approximately 55% of females and 24% of males was caused due to obesity. As per the observations, the persons belonging to the 50-74 years age-group were the most affected ones. The IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) has detected approximately thirteen kind of cancers that include multiple myeloma, thyroid cancer, liver cancer, rectum, cancer of the pancreas, gallbladder, ovaries, colon, stomach, and meningioma that can be linked to obesity. According to CDC’s morbidity and mortality weekly report, cancers linked to obesity were observed more in the persons with age lesser than 75 years.
The CDC has requested healthcare service providers to help the patients reduce their obesity by instilling an awareness about healthy living in them. It is reported that the CDC is currently carrying out more than four new programs for prevention and treatment of the obesity-related ailments.