Our risk for certain cancers may be increased depending on where those extra pounds rest according to a new study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The study followed more than 350,000 men and women in Europe to determine which lifestlye factors affected cancer risk. They found that those men and women who carry more abdominal fat may be at increased risk for developing colon cancer.
The men and women in the study were asked to complete diet questionaires as well as have weight, height, and body measurements taken. Lifestlye factors were recorded and those particpants were followed for six years.
At analysis total body fat, as assessed by the Body Mass Index (BMI), was not as important in determining colon cancer risk as was the amount of abdominal fat, as assessed by waist to hip ratio and waist circumferance. In women BMI had no relationship to colon cancer risk and in men there was a slight relationship between BMI and cancer risk, but not as significant as that between waist size and cancer risk.
Men who have the largest waistlines have a 39 percent increased risk of developing colon cancer compared to those with the thinnest waists. And women are even worse, with the risk being 48 percent more when comparing largest to smallest waist.
They are not sure why abdominal fat and not total fat plays such an important role. It may be due to the higher fat content around the organs in the abdomen as well as local increases in hormone production that can support tumor growth.
The authors also commented that the positive relationship between BMI and cancer risk in men may be due to the fact that most men tend to gain weight in the abdominal region compared to women who will gain weight in other areas before the abdomen.
At any rate, abdominal fat increase is now associated with increased risk of colon cancer. Other diseases that are associated with increased waist size include Metabolic Syndrome, Type 2 Diabetes, and Hyperlipidemia.
Abdominal fat can be the hardest area to lose weight from because of the lack of large muscle groups that can burn fat when working out. Exercises that can help increase weight loss from the waist line include swimming, jogging, and playing a sport that requires upper body strength. Simply doing sit-ups and push-ups will not help to lose the weight around the waist line.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on July 11, 2006 02:58 PM
