Study Strengthens Link Between Obesity and Prostate Cancer

Men who are overweight or obese have a higher chance of developing an aggressive and potentially fatal prostate cancer, according to a new review of current research.

The World Cancer Research Fund says the cumulative evidence of the link between putting on too much weight and advanced prostate cancer is now strong. They estimate that 10% of advanced prostate cancers in the UK—those that can kill–could be prevented if men kept to a healthy weight.

Being overweight and obese have been linked to a variety of cancers. “This is the ninth one as a result of this global analysis of the world’s literature,” said Kate Allen, executive director for science and public affairs at WCRF. “Yet we have this huge overweight and obesity problem.”

The findings come from the Fund's Continuous Uptake Project (CUP), a rolling programme of analysis of the global scientific research into lifestyle factors that contribute to cancer. The prostate cancer review, in partnership with The Imperial College London, analysed 104 studies involving more than 9.8 million men and over 191,000 cases of prostate cancer.

Link to the report on The Guardian: http://bit.ly/11rJGMP