Obesity May Be a Cause for Liver Cancer

STATES CHRONICLE – Scientists argue that the risk of liver cancer can increase up to 38 percent because of the growth of your weight.  If the body mass index (BMI) increases, then the risk of type 2 diabetes may increase. A new study has revealed that extra fat could also increase the possibility of liver cancer. Our diet is critical when it comes to keeping cancer away from you. You should know what is best for your health.

Peter Campbell, who is a researcher at the American Cancer Society has teamed up with his colleagues and conducted a study together. Their research enrolled 1.57 million individuals from 14 other studies which were previously carried out in the US. The participants have filled in questionnaires which regarded their weight, height, tobacco use, alcohol intake, and other factors which seem to be relevant to cancer risk. When the study started, no one was suffering from cancer.

Among participants, 6.5 percent of them were developing type 2 diabetes mellitus without them even knowing this. After a few years, researchers have unveiled that 2,162 of the participants had been diagnosed with liver cancer. The experts wanted to analyze whether those who registered increase risks of liver cancer risk were having trouble controlling their weight. Scientists have found out that for an increase of five kg/m2, there is a 38% increase in the liver cancer’s risk.

Every five centimeters which are added to your waist can increase the risk with 8%. Those participants who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and were also affected by the consumption of tobacco and alcohol have proved that danger of being diagnosed with liver cancer is 2.61 times bigger. Obesity, alcohol, and tobacco put together constituted a serious cause of the liver disease. These three factors lead to a dysfunction of the metabolism.

Campbell argued that their study’s results managed to support the efforts implemented by medicine in preventing obesity. He also claimed that cancer could also be considered an extra reason for everyone to maintain the weight of their body within normal parameters. Katherine A McGlynn, who is a representative from the National Cancer Institute, argued that these results of the statistics are significant to their population which experiences frequent disease like obesity and diabetes. This is a cry for help for everybody out there who wants to change something for the sake of their health.

Image courtesy of: wikipedia