(NaturalNews) As it turns out, fat tissue isn't just a dormant storage depot for calories. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, more than 100,000 cancer cases in the U.S. are linked to excess body fat - most of them are preventable.
The data shows that on top of the list of obesity-linked cancers is endometrial cancer, followed by esophageal, pancreatic and kidney cancers, among others. Increased body fat is linked to:
49% of endometrial cancers (20,700 cases/year)
35% of esophageal cancers (5,800 cases/year)
28% of pancreatic cancers (11,900 cases/year)
24% of kidney cancers (13,900 cases/year)
21% of gallbladder cancers (2,000 cases/year)
17% of breast cancers (33,000 cases/year)
9% of colorectal cancers (13,200 cases/year)
A groundbreaking - and startling - study published in ACS' Journal of Proteome Research proved that fat cells actively secrete dozens of hormones that act as chemical messengers in various parts of the body. Scientists suspect that these chemical signals may promote not only cancer, but also a wide range of other chronic diseases, including diabetes and heart disease.
"The evidence is clear," said Laurence Kolonel, MD, PhD, Deputy Director of the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii and member of the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) expert panel. "If people sustain a normal body weight and remain physically active throughout life, it will have a major impact on cancer incidence."
The recent research adds to the growing body of evidence concerning the many negative effects of obesity on cancer incidence. Previous studies have shown that excess fat tissue causes increased levels of inflammation compounds in the bloodstream and promotes oxidative stress on the body, leading to DNA mutation and diminished immune function. Both of these factors are conductive for not only the formation of diseased cells, but also their multiplication.
Reducing Your Risk If you don't want to fall prey to a chronic degenerative disease such as cancer, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing stress and choosing alkaline forming foods will do wonders in maintaining optimum health.
The American Cancer Society recommends at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days per week or more. Shedding excess weight can be beneficial even after diagnosis. "An increasing number of studies suggest that regular physical activity improves cancer survival, even among survivors who are overweight or obese," explained Melinda Irwin, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at Yale School of Medicine. "That's really the take-home message here."
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