Research

Hormonal

Abdominal obesity, measured by waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio, is a strong independent risk factor for colon cancer and large adenomas, increasing risk even after adjusting for overall body mass index and physical activity levels.

Monitor your waist size and waist-to-hip ratio, not just your weight. Abdominal fat is a strong independent risk factor for colon cancer. Maintaining a healthy waist circumference (e.g., <35 inches for men in this study's reference group) and reducing abdominal adiposity through lifestyle changes can significantly lower your risk.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio were strong risk factors for colon cancer... These associations persisted even after adjustment for body mass and physical activity.
Edward L. Giovannucci et al. · Annals of Internal Medicine · 1995

Why this rating

Prospective cohort data with specific anthropometric measurements and adjustment for confounders.

Source

Physical Activity, Obesity, and Risk for Colon Cancer and Adenoma in Men

Edward L. Giovannucci et al. · Annals of Internal Medicine · 1995

DOI 10.7326/0003-4819-122-5-199503010-00002

cohort · n=47723Cited 1,016×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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