The link between excessive weight and health issues has been well established.
In a previous article titled “Why a more holistic approach to weight is important”, I noted research which showed that obesity ranked as the second highest contributor to disease in Australia, putting it ahead of smoking as a cause of disease.
In recent years, researchers have, in particular, been finding clear links between obesity and various types of cancer. The general consensus is that too high levels of oestrogen created by excessive weight may be the cause, though there is also research underway to explore whether inflammation associated with carrying too much abdominal fat is also having an effect.
Earlier this month my attention was drawn to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald which showed yet another link between excessive weight and cancer. This story was particularly important for women. It cited a study undertaken by Associate Professor Pamela Pollock from the Queensland University of Technology which showed a strong link between obesity and endometrial cancer. The incidence of this cancer has increased over the last two decades in western countries like Australia, the US and Britain because of the rise in obesity. The rise in obesity is also driving an increase in the numbers of younger women affected by the disease.
This research specifically found a link between a woman’s body mass index (or BMI) and the risk of developing endometrial cancer. For every five BMI units above the top of the normal range of 25, the risk of endometrial cancer doubles. They found that a woman with a BMI of 29 (considered overweight) has double the risk of developing this form of cancer while a woman with a BMI above 35 has an eight-fold increased risk.
These results are all the more startling considering that the BMI is often seen as an inferior measure of unhealthy weight compared to simple measurements of waist circumference or the ratio of waist-to-hip circumference.
The good news about endometrial cancer is that in its early stages it's very curable – but traditional treatment involves surgery to remove the uterus and often the ovaries, spelling the end of fertility in younger women. Lowering weight closer to the normal range requires behaviour change, but it's associated with better chances of fertility for young women.
Want to find out more:
Click on the following link to read the full article:
http://www.smh.com.au/…/why-obesity-is-driving-this-female-…
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