Being Overweight and the Risks of Colon Cancer

Obesity is one disorder that we don’t like to be associated with, though most of the times we are obese by choice. Here, by choice, it is referred to the choice of lifestyle and foods habits – the preventable factors. People are distressed due to obesity and they hate being called obese, but the fact is that obesity brings along a host of diseases, including some types of cancers. Apart from being a dreadful disorder, obesity is also the underlying cause of many diseases.

Obesity – The Medical Term
Obesity is a precise term that is based on the measure of fat in the body called BMI (Body Mass Index). The BMI is described by calculating the weight and height of a person – the higher BMI the greater your chances of being obese. Adults within the range of 18 and 25 BMI are usually healthy. People having a BMI of 25 to 30 are overweight. BMI that is greater than 30 is a significant sign of obesity. Many people with the common belief that they are healthy and normal weight, just plump, are often shocked to do the BMI calculation only to find that, medically, they are obese.

Body image is an obsession for most of us, which definitely has an emotional context, too, but that doesn’t exist in case of most medical issues. However, it is important to bear in mind that obesity, by all probabilities, is a typical medical condition. Like any other medical or health problem, it is also a long-term problem having severe implications for overall well-being and health.

Obesity Related to Cancer
Over the past several years, there have been studies and researches conducted by cancer specialists and research teams to demonstrate the link between being obese or overweight and several diseases like heart disease, diabetes and arthritis. In general, public is now more aware of the many associations of obesity with health complications.

However, researchers have also found that there isn’t any proper evidence or that there is a severe lack of recognition of these ties between being obese and other life-threatening diseases like cancer. Exactly how and why obesity can increase the risk of colon cancer is still not clear. Cancer specialist scientists and researchers believe that it could be a part related to the hormones and insulin that the body produces for regulating the storage of fat and level of blood sugar. Inflammation may even play a small role. Irrespective of the cause, evidence shows that excess body weight can lead to an increased risk of developing cancer and may even lead to higher rate of death.

Colon cancer Risks is Significant
Obesity can increase the risk of some types of cancers, according to studies, of which there is a significant link between rectum or colon cancer also called colorectal cancer, being obese or overweight raises the chances of being diagnosed with cancer and even death from the disease.
The only relief is that these risks can be changed by lifestyle and behavior. Cancer specialists recommend that living a healthy life is one of the most beneficial ways of reducing risks of most chronic diseases, including cancer and non-cancerous growths.