Research

Hormonal

Intentional weight loss achieved through lifestyle interventions, antiobesity medications, or bariatric surgery reduces the incidence of obesity-associated cancers, particularly hormone-dependent malignancies in postmenopausal women.

If you have overweight or obesity, achieving and maintaining a weight loss of at least 5% of your body weight can significantly reduce your risk of developing certain cancers, especially in postmenopausal women. This can be achieved through lifestyle changes (diet and exercise), medications, or surgery. The key is sustained loss, not just short-term dieting.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Intentional weight loss achieved through different modalities has been associated with a reduced cancer incidence. To date, the effect of weight loss on the postmenopausal women population has been more widely studied, with multiple reports indicating a protective effect of weight loss on hormone-dependent malignancies.
Diego Añazco et al. · Obesity Pillars · 2024

Why this rating

Based on multiple prospective cohorts, meta-analyses, and RCTs, though some specific cancer types have conflicting data.

Source

Weight-centric prevention of cancer

Diego Añazco et al. · Obesity Pillars · 2024

DOI 10.1016/j.obpill.2024.100106

narrative_reviewCited 4×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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