Cancer rates are rising in young Americans and obesity could be to blame. The American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute released a report showing that the rates of 6 different cancers (multiple myeloma, colorectal, endometrial, gallbladder, kidney, and pancreatic), associated with obesity, are on the rise among adults between the ages of 25 and 49. Pancreatic and kidney cancers rose 4.34% and 6.23% respectively between 1995 and 2014. The report linked excessive body weight to approximately 40% of U.S. cancer cases; based on the 2014 estimates, obesity accounts for 60% of endometrial cancers, 36% of gallbladder cancers, 33% of kidney cancers, 17% of pancreatic cancers and 11% of multiple myeloma in those 30+ years of age. Lancet Public Health
→Takeaway: From increasing inflammation to altering hormone levels, obesity can fuel the growth and proliferation of cancer cells. While the cancer rate increases in young adults can’t be directly attributed to obesity, it’s a strong coincidence that these increases occurred simultaneously with the doubling rates of childhood obesity between 1980 and 2014, making excessive body weight a likely causal factor. It’s important to know that disruptions in gut microbial balance can play a huge role in excessive body weight. For more on this and a step-by-step guide on how to promote a balanced microbiome and a healthy body weight, read Dr. Chutkan’s book, The Microbiome Solution (Penguin 2015).
