Researchers warn of key new driver of 11 cancers in under
AOL.com • • health
Key Points:
- A study found that 11 types of cancer, including thyroid, liver, colorectal, and breast cancers, are increasing among 20 to 49-year-olds in England, with obesity identified as a significant contributing factor.
- All except oral cancer are linked to excess weight, but obesity alone does not fully explain the rise, suggesting multiple factors such as diet, antibiotic use, and air pollution may also play roles.
- Despite stable or declining trends in traditional risk factors like smoking and alcohol, rising obesity rates since 1995 correlate with increased cancer incidence, particularly bowel cancer, where about 20% of the rise is attributed to BMI increases.
- Researchers emphasize the need for more long-term studies to identify all causes and call for urgent public health measures to reduce obesity, especially among children and young people, to help curb cancer rates.
- Cancer remains relatively rare in young adults, but experts stress prevention through policies targeting obesity, smoking, and unhealthy diets as critical to addressing the complex factors behind the rising cancer trends.
