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Obesity boosts gullet cancer risk 6-fold
October 11, 2007Combined effects of obesity, acid reflux and smoking on the risk of adenocarcinomas of the esophagus
Obese people are six times as likely to develop gullet (oesophageal) cancer as people of 'healthy' weight, shows research published ahead of print in the journal Gut.
Rates of oesophageal cancer have been rising rapidly, and in some countries, they have risen faster than those of every other major cancer, say the authors.
The findings are based on a comparison of almost 800 people with oesophageal cancer and almost 1600 randomly selected people eligible to vote, who did not have the disease.
Men and those under the age of 50 were especially vulnerable, the findings showed.
The link between acid reflux and gullet cancer is well known, and unsurprisingly, repeated symptoms of severe heartburn or gastrointestinal reflux disease (GORD) were associated with a much higher risk of the cancer.
And the more frequent the symptoms, the greater was the likelihood of having oesophageal cancer.
GORD quintupled the risk of oesophageal cancer, and a combination of obesity and acid reflux boosted the chances of having it by a factor of 16.
But people who were clinically obese had a much higher risk of oesophageal cancer than those whose weight was in the healthy range, regardless of whether they had reflux disease or not.
Those with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more were six times as likely to have the cancer as those with a BMI between 18.5 and 25.
This finding held true even after taking account of other factors known to be implicated in the disease, such as smoking and high alcohol consumption.
This suggests that obesity is an independent risk factor for the disease, say the authors.
Higher levels of fat tissue in the body boost insulin production, which in turn increases the amount of circulating insulin-like growth factor.
Both these hormones stimulate cell growth and curb cell death, conditions which favour the development of cancers, explain the authors.
Fat cells also produce other hormones, collectively known as adipocytokines, which speed up cell growth and are involved in inflammatory processes in the body, they say.
BMJ-British Medical Journal
The findings are based on a comparison of almost 800 people with oesophageal cancer and almost 1600 randomly selected people eligible to vote, who did not have the disease.
Men and those under the age of 50 were especially vulnerable, the findings showed.
The link between acid reflux and gullet cancer is well known, and unsurprisingly, repeated symptoms of severe heartburn or gastrointestinal reflux disease (GORD) were associated with a much higher risk of the cancer.
And the more frequent the symptoms, the greater was the likelihood of having oesophageal cancer.
GORD quintupled the risk of oesophageal cancer, and a combination of obesity and acid reflux boosted the chances of having it by a factor of 16.
But people who were clinically obese had a much higher risk of oesophageal cancer than those whose weight was in the healthy range, regardless of whether they had reflux disease or not.
Those with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more were six times as likely to have the cancer as those with a BMI between 18.5 and 25.
This finding held true even after taking account of other factors known to be implicated in the disease, such as smoking and high alcohol consumption.
This suggests that obesity is an independent risk factor for the disease, say the authors.
Higher levels of fat tissue in the body boost insulin production, which in turn increases the amount of circulating insulin-like growth factor.
Both these hormones stimulate cell growth and curb cell death, conditions which favour the development of cancers, explain the authors.
Fat cells also produce other hormones, collectively known as adipocytokines, which speed up cell growth and are involved in inflammatory processes in the body, they say.
BMJ-British Medical Journal
Obesity Current Events and Obesity News RSSResearchers: Ban on fast food TV advertising would reverse childhood obesity trends
A ban on fast food advertisements in the United States could reduce the number of overweight children by as much as 18 percent, according to a new study being published this month in the Journal of Law and Economics.
Antibiotics Can Cause Pervasive, Persistent Changes to the Microbial Community in the Human Gut, MBL and Stanford Scientists Report
Using a novel technique developed by Mitchell Sogin of the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) to identify different types of bacteria, scientists have completed the most precise survey to date of how microbial communities in the human gut respond to antibiotic treatment.
Physical activity after bariatric surgery improves weight loss, quality of life
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Vitamin C lowers levels of heart disease biomarker, finds study, adds to debate of health benefits
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Fatty diet during pregnancy makes new cells in fetal brain that cause early onset obesity
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Study shows direct link between leptin and obesity-related cardiovascular disease
Obese people who don't have high cholesterol or diabetes might think they're healthy - despite the extra pounds.
Eye conditions linked with obstructive sleep apnea
If a good night's sleep helps the brain and body perform better, it's a good guess that sleep problems can cause more than just fatigue. Numerous studies have shown a connection between sleep disorders and medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, and metabolic disorders, including the risk of obesity and diabetes mellitus. In the November issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Mayo Clinic researchers outline several interesting associations between sleep disorders and eye disease.
Sleep Apnea May Be Risk Factor for Sudden Cardiac Death, Mayo Clinic Research Concludes
After studying the sleep characteristics of nearly 11,000 adults in an overnight sleep laboratory, Mayo Clinic researchers suggest that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) - and, in particular, the low nighttime oxygen saturation of the blood it causes - may be a risk factor for sudden cardiac death (SCD).
Eliminating soda from school diets does not affect overall consumption
With childhood obesity increasing, school administrators and public health officials are reducing availability of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) in schools.
Pregnancy diabetes doubles the risk of language delay in children
Children born to mothers with pregnancy-related diabetes run twice the risk of language development problems, according to a research team directed by Professor Ginette Dionne of Université Laval's School of Psychology. Details of this discovery are published in the most recent issue of the scientific journal Pediatrics.
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