Scientists and researchers have long shown how public health actions can impact cancer rates — noting for generations the connection between cancer and certain lifestyle choices, such as smoking or drinking alcohol.
Researchers at Hackensack Meridian Health are sounding the alarm on another issue: obesity.
Analysis of information by doctors at HMH’s Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune Township shows a sharp increase in the link between obesity and cancer deaths. It concludes that deaths from obesity-related cancers have tripled in the U.S. over the past two decades, shining new, concerning light on obesity as a risk factor for what is already the second-leading cause of death in this country.
Using mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HMH researchers studied more than 33,500 deaths from cancers known to be associated with obesity. Those cancers include:
- Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus
- Breast (in women who have gone through menopause)
- Colon and rectum
- Uterus
- Gallbladder
- Upper stomach
- Kidneys
- Liver
- Ovaries
- Pancreas
- Thyroid
- Meningioma (a type of brain cancer)
- Multiple myeloma
Dr. Mohamed Bakr, a co-author of the study and associate director of Jersey Shore University Medical Center’s residency program that conducted the research, did the math.
“Obesity affects more than 40% of adults in America — and these 13 specific types of cancer account for more than 40% of all cancer diagnoses in the country every year,” he said.
Bakr, who is also vice president of hospital medicine for the Eastern Region for Envision and assistant professor of internal medicine at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, said the research digs deeper into certain communities at risk.
“Our research shows certain populations are being disproportionately impacted, including women, older adults, Native Americans, Black Americans and folks in rural communities,” he said. “The Midwest had the highest rate of obesity-related cancer deaths. The Northeast had the lowest.
“This research underscores the need for targeted public health strategies such as early screening and improved access to care, especially in high-risk rural and underserved areas,”
Bakr said obesity is a serious public health threat and the link between obesity and cancer is a crisis that should be addressed with the same urgency as other epidemics.
Doctors such as Dr. Andre Goy, the physician in chief at Hackensack Meridian’s John Theurer Cancer Center, have long warned patients that obesity is a significant risk factor in developing cancer.
“The rising rates of obesity-related cancers reinforce what we’ve seen clinically for years,” he said. “We’ve long recognized obesity as a modifiable risk factor for certain cancers — especially endometrial, breast and colorectal cancers.
“Obesity affects more than 40% of adults in America — and these 13 specific types of cancer account for more than 40% of all cancer diagnoses in the country every year.” — Dr. Mohamed Bakr
“This study adds compelling data to what we’ve observed in practice. It’s a powerful call to action — for both health care providers and the public — to prioritize prevention and weight management as essential components of cancer control. There has been an increase of 80% in cancer cases in people younger than 50 over the last 20 years. It is critical to address lifestyle factors to reduce this trend.”
For additional context, according to the CDC, an adult with a BMI from 25-29.9 is considered overweight. An individual with a BMI that is 30 or higher has obesity.
HMH doctors also point out that cancer is not the only disease linked to obesity. Obesity also leads to a greater risk of developing other serious chronic conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and chronic kidney disease.
Bakr said the time to act is now.
“Those concerned about their risk should be having serious conversations with their doctors about ways to lower their weight through diet, exercise and medications,” he said. “Regular cancer screenings, especially for those who have a family history of obesity or cancer, are critical.”
For information about Jersey Shore University Medical Center, go to hackensackmeridianhealth.org.
