Hormonal
High body-mass index (BMI ≥25 kg/m²) is causally associated with an increased global burden of cancer, accounting for 3.6% of all new adult cancer cases in 2012, with the highest attributable fractions found in women and high human development index countries.
Maintaining a healthy body weight is a critical, modifiable factor in reducing your risk of several common cancers, particularly breast, colon, and endometrial cancers. This is not just about aesthetics; it is a direct public health measure. Aim for a BMI between 20-25 kg/m², as risk increases continuously with higher BMI values, even within the 'normal' range. This is especially important for women, who face a higher attributable fraction of cancer cases from high BMI compared to men.
Worldwide, we estimate that 481 000 or 3·6% of all new cancer cases in adults (aged 30 years and older after the 10-year lag period) in 2012 were attributable to high BMI. PAFs were greater in women than in men (5·4% vs 1·9%).
Why this rating
Large-scale population-based study using standardized meta-analysis relative risks and global incidence data, though it relies on modeling assumptions for lag periods and theoretical minimum risk distributions.
Source
Global burden of cancer attributable to high body-mass index in 2012: a population-based study
Melina Arnold et al. · The Lancet Oncology · 2014
DOI 10.1016/s1470-2045(14)71123-4
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