Obesity has been identified as a major factor behind the rapidly increasing incidence of cancer among young people worldwide, according to a new medical study conducted in Sweden.
Cancer remains one of the fastest-growing diseases globally, claiming millions of lives each year. Researchers now say that excessive body weight is playing a significant role in its rising prevalence among younger age groups.
The findings come from a study conducted at Lund University, Sweden, which analysed data from more than 600,000 individuals whose weight was tracked continuously over four decades.
The research found that gaining excess body weight before the age of 30 increases the risk of developing cancer by up to five times.
Previous studies have also linked body weight with cancer risk, but this latest research specifically examined the age at which weight gain has the most significant impact.
Participants’ body weight was analysed between the ages of 17 and 60.
Researchers noted that a significant increase in body weight substantially raises the risk of cancer, while even moderate weight gain may still expose individuals to the disease.
According to the study, men who gained weight before the age of 30 were found to have a fivefold increased risk of liver cancer, twice the risk of colon and kidney cancers, and a 58 percent higher risk of colorectal cancer.
Similarly, women who gained weight before the age of 30 showed a significantly increased risk of colon, liver, and other types of cancer.
The findings were presented at the annual conference of the European Congress on Obesity.
A previous study from Uppsala University in Sweden in June 2023 also reported a higher likelihood of cancer among obese individuals, highlighting a stronger link between increased body weight and cancer risk in women.
Researchers also observed that fat accumulation in different parts of the body plays a role in increasing cancer risk, although the level of risk may vary between men and women.
The study further explained that fat accumulation around the abdomen and waist significantly increases the likelihood of developing various types of cancer.
The analysis included health data of 500,000 individuals aged between 37 and 73, monitored over an average period of 13 years, during which body fat levels and cancer diagnoses were compared.
The results showed that obesity increases the risk of almost all types of cancer.
Researchers acknowledged that the study had certain limitations and called for further research in this area.
The findings were published in the journal Cell.
