Report links rise in cancer to inactivity, obesity
Source: USA Today
Although the overall rate of new cancer cases is declining, the report confirms research showing that excess weight and a sedentary lifestyle are risk factors for one-quarter to one-third of common cancers in the USA. About one-third of adults — almost 78 million — are obese, roughly 30 or more pounds over a healthy weight.
"I don't think Americans understand the association between cancer and obesity," says physician Marcus Plescia, director of the division of cancer prevention for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "We do know people are afraid of cancer. They know about the links (from obesity) to diabetes, heart disease and arthritis, but many don't know about this. They need to know."
The report, published Wednesday in the journal Cancer, is co-authored by researchers from the CDC, the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society.
For people who do not smoke, maintaining a healthy weight and getting sufficient exercise may be among the most important ways to prevent cancer, the authors write. The risk factors are second only to tobacco as preventable causes of disease and death in the USA.
Read more: http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2012-03-28/Report-links-rise-in-cancer-to-inactivity-obesity/53835044/1
