Your Weight and Cancer

There are many ways to improve your overall health – eat more fruits and vegetables, increase exercise, maintain close relationships, keep up-to-date with doctor visits – but one way to drastically improve your chances for a long, healthy life is maintaining a healthy weight.

Research has shown a significant link between being overweight and obese and risk of several types of cancer. According to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, being above overweight or obese increases one’s risk for 13 types of cancer, and contributes to about 40 percent of diagnosed cancer cases in the U.S.

This correlation between weight and cancer risk has shown to be a trend that is on the rise. Between 2005 and 2014, the percentage of incidents of these types of cancers increased by seven percent, while incidents of non-weight-related cancers decreased during this same time period.

The differences between men and women’s risk for overweight- and obesity-related cancers are stark. Fifty-five percent of cancers diagnosed in women are associated with weight, while only 24 percent of cancers diagnosed in men were associated with above-normal weight. The cancer-weight connection has also shown to be stronger in non-Hispanic black and white populations than other ethnic/racial groups. Black and American Indian/Alaska Native males have a higher risk than white males of weight-related cancer.

Losing even a small amount of weight has shown to improve a number of health factors. While research on the connection between losing weight and cancer risk is still growing, the following weight-loss benefits contribute to improved overall health:

• Enhanced immune-system functioning
• Reduced inflammation
• Reduced levels of certain hormones connected to cancer risk.
• Improved metabolic function
• Better sleep
• Reduced joint pain
• Reduced stress and improved mental health

Finding and maintaining good habits, such as healthy eating, exercise, seeing your doctor, and complementary medical practices like chiropractic, acupuncture, and meditation, can help you live a long, healthy life. If you are concerned about your weight, your doctor can help you create a plan to reduce weight and improve your overall health. If chronic pain keeps you from being as active as you’d like, consider chiropractic to get you moving again.