People who have a larger waistline are putting themselves at a higher risk of developing an aggressive form of prostate cancer, according to scientists at the University of Oxford.
Scientists looked at almost 150,000 men over 14 years, living in eight countries. After this time, 7,000 incidents of prostate cancer were identified, of which 934 were fatal.
They found that four extra inches on the waist increased the risk of prostate cancer by 13%, and an 18% increased risk in death by the disease.
A 37-inch waist comes with a whopping 18% higher risk of dying from the disease in comparison to a 33-inch waist.
Researchers also found that generally being overweight also affects a man’s chances of developing the disease. Every extra 5kg (11 lbs) in body mass index (BMI) increased the risk of aggressive prostate cancers by 10%, and 14% for fatal prostate cancer.
The good news comes, of course, when you flip it. Put the work in at the gym and in the kitchen and, if you can drop two jeans sizes, you also get to feel smug about giving cancer a slap in the face.
Experts say these findings could push doctors to check more frequently for the disease in patients, especially because it often comes with no symptoms in its early stages.
The study’s author, Dr. Aurora Perez-Cornago, of Oxford University, said the disease is complex, and the findings show an increase in weight can affect hormones that can fuel the disease.
“It is really important for health to men to try and maintain a healthy weight, this study shows a clear reason why,” she says.
“The findings from this large prospective study show that the association between body size and prostate cancer is complex and varies by disease aggressiveness; men who have greater adiposity (fat, basically) have an elevated risk of high grade prostate cancer and prostate cancer death.”