Studies have shown that obesity is associated with at least 13 types of cancer. And in some regions, such as North America, Europe and the Middle East, obesity contributes to up to 9% of all cancer cases. It might even become the top cause of cancer in UK women in the next 25 years. So losing weight is clearly an important health goal.
However, a recent study produced an unexpected result. It found that weight loss was associated with a significantly higher rate of cancer during the 12 months following the weight loss, compared with those who hadn’t lost weight.
The study used data from nearly 160,000 health professionals who have been studied for an average of 28 years. These people reported their health and lifestyle details every two years up to 2016. The researchers paid special attention to their weight changes. Participants were divided into three groups based on how intentional (刻意的) their weight loss was: “high” for those enhancing both diet and exercise, “medium” for improvements in diet or exercise, and “low” for no notable improvements in either.
Among the participants, a striking finding emerged: people who lost more than 10% of their body weight had a significantly higher risk of cancer diagnoses in the following year. But not all cancers were equally linked to weight loss. The study found a strong connection between weight loss and cancers of the upper digestive (消化的) system (gullet and stomach), liver, pancreas and bile ducts. For these types, the risk was much higher, with chances increasing between three to over seven times. The link was weaker for colorectal (结肠直肠的) and lung cancer, though, and didn’t seem to affect the likelihood of getting breast and cervical cancers that affect just women.
The study’s authors are careful, though. ▲ For one, they relied on people’s own reports of their weight, which might not always be accurate. Also, they only checked in on participants every two years, which meant some details could be missed. Plus, the study was mostly on US health professionals, who might be more aware of cancer and have better access to healthcare.
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