Obesity causes 100,000 US cancers every year

Obesity is a disease that affects approximately 60 Million people in the United Stats and hundred of Millions all over the world. Women are specially affected. Over one-third of women between the ages of 20 and 74 are obese, that the majority of them being African American or Mexican American.

Obesity causes more than 100,000 incidents of cancer in the US every year, the American Institute for Cancer Research said in estimates published Friday.

The group, which funds research on the link between diet and the disease, said 49 percent of endrometrial cancers, which originate in the womb, and 35 percent of esophageal cancers are linked to excess body fat.

"It's clearer than ever that obesity's impact is felt before, during and after cancer, it increases risk, makes treatment more difficult and shortens survival," said Laurence Kolonel of the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii.

Scientists have long seen a link between obesity and certain types of cancer, but the study -- extrapolated from US cancer incidence data -- is among the first to conclude the link exists on such a scale.

Researchers have yet to pin down the exact link between obesity and cancer, but some have suggested that fat tissue may produce heightened levels of sex hormones that spur cancer growth or that fat lowers immune function.

If the link is proven to be true, cancers could be expected to expected to balloon in tandem with US body sizes.

According to the government-backed Centers for Disease Control, 34 percent of American adults aged 20 and over are obese.

With more and more pre packaged food and less and less activity, the number of obese people in America has steadily increased since the 1960's.

Many people think obesity means that a person is overweight, but that's not exactly true. An Overweight person has a surplus amount of Weight, that includes muscle, bone, fat, and Water.

An obese person has a surplus of 'body fat'.

Most health professionals concur that a man is Obese if he has over 25 percent body fat, and a women is obese if she has over 30 percent.

Women physiologically have more body fat than men, so that why there's a difference in the percentage. It is difficult to determine the exact percentage of body fat a person has, but estimates can be made in a number of different ways.

First, using a tweezers-like-tool called a calliper, You can measure the thickness of skin folds On different points of your body and compare The results with standardized numbers.

You can also use a small device that send a harmless electrical current through your body and measures your body fat percentage.

The most commonly used method to determine if A person is obese is to look at his/her Body Mass Index (BMI).

A person with a BMI over 30 is considered to be Obese, and a BMI over 40 is considered to be severely obese.

It's important to remember thought that BMI could Be misleading in pregnant or lactating women and in muscular individuals.

With obesity, comes the increased risk of diseases Such as high blood pressure, Type II Diabetes, Heart disease, and breast, colon and prostate cancer.

In addition, obesity has been linked to mental health Conditions such as depression or feeling of shame And low self-esteem.

Health experts say's that even losing 10 to 15 percent Of your body weight can dramatically decrease the Risk of developing these serious conditions. In addition, Many obese people are discriminated against and targets of insults and other verbal abuse.

A number of factors, such as poor diet, lack of Physical activity, genetics, and certain medical disorders Cause obesity, but it can be conquered.

For more information about healthy life, please visit: Health and Fitness