It turns out that the extra pudge around your waistline may lead to more than just an increased risk of diabetes or heart disease it may also increase your risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), according to a new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
When researchers from Maastricht University in the Netherlands followed over 120,000 adults between the ages of 55 and 69 for up to 16 years, they found that men who were significantly overweight or obese and had particularly large bellies at the beginning of the study were 25 percent more likely to develop CRC compared to normal-weight men. Waist sizes were self-reported and based on trouser sizes, and men with the largest waistlines had a 63 percent increased risk of colorectal cancer than men who reported the smallest pant size.
The trend was evident in women, too, albeit with a minor caveat: For women, exercise played an important role, beyond just the size of their waists. Women with larger waistlines categorized as a size 16 or greater were more likely to develop colon cancer, but only if they exercised less than 30 minutes daily. In such instances, these women were 83 percent more likely to develop colon cancer than were women with more compact waistlines and more active lifestyles.
The difference in observations among men and women could not be explained by the researchers, though they maintain that it s important to follow a healthy lifestyle that doesn t merely focus on what the scale reads.
Although ACSH s Dr. Ruth Kava is less impressed by this observational study s data dredging strategy, she does insist that it s important to watch your weight in order to diminish the risk of adverse health effects. This study, though observational, says Dr. Kava, does support earlier findings of a link between obesity and CRC. Further, it suggests guidelines for individuals in order to estimate whether they fit into the category of increased risk of this condition.
