Obesity or being overweight refers to having higher amounts of body fats with respect to lean body tissues like muscles. It has been observed that after tobacco, obesity is the second main reason for the number of deaths. And, as tobacco intake is decreasing with increase in awareness, soon it can be expected that the number of deaths due to obesity may surpass ones due to tobacco. It has been studied that two-thirds of heart ailments are due to obesity.

There are many factors responsible for obesity. Some of them are:

● Genetics● Hormonal imbalance● Emotional causes● Environmental factors● Cultural factors

It has been found that obesity can lead to many diseases like:

● Heart diseases and heart stroke● Diabetes● Hypertension or high blood pressure● Increase of the bad cholesterol● Asthma● Gall and kidney stones● Infertility● Around 11 types of cancers like leukemia,

breast cancer (after menopause), endometrium,colon cancer, prostate cancer, etc.

Studies have associated higher weight gain during adolescence and high birth weights with cancer risks. Some even stated that high waist to hip ratio can be the reason of death in case of men with prostate cancer. Repeatedly losing weight and gaining back can also be a risk factor.

There are many mechanisms that highlight the role of obesity in causing cancer.

● The excess fat tissues in body of obese people cause levels of insulin and other growth factors to rise, which in turn instruct cells to divide more rapidly including cancer causing cells.

● Again, postmenopausal fat tissues produce higher levels of estrogens that cause cells to multiply faster, thus leading to breast cancer and endometrial cancer in women.

● Fat cells produce chemicals called adipokines, a kind of cell signaling proteins that encourage cells, including cancer cells to divide rapidly.

● It has also been found out that obese people tend to have a chronic or subacute inflammation that has been associated with a high risk of cancer.

● Risk of thromboembolism is also higher in obese people who are receiving chemotherapy.

Researchers have stated if people can reduce their BMI by at least 1%, then there would be a significant reduction in the number of cancer patients. Evidences prove that reduction in weights has helped in advanced prostate cancer treatments and breast cancer cure along with reducing risks of their reappearance. Obesity even poses a major hindrance in the treatment processes. As we see that there is a clear association of obesity and cancer, healthy lifestyle and eating habits should be incorporated to prevent risks and diseases associated with it.

Southern Medical University Renkang Hospital is one of the best cancer hospitals with advanced cancer treatments and natural therapies in the best facilities.