One more lethargic day, one more day of not exercising; well it doesn’t harm anyone. WRONG!! It is harming your body more than you think it is. That is because another day to you don’t keep your body fit and consume more calories is another ounce of weight added to your body, making you obese.
And yes, if you are obese you are more likely to get cancer than a person who is not.
What is Obesity? How to determine whether a person is obese or not? The expert team of doctors at Capitol Hospital will shed some light on these questions and its effects on cancer. Obesity is a condition in which a person has excessive fat content around the skin, increasing the risk of health problems. It means having too much body fat. Obesity generally occurs when you consume more calories than you burn.
According to researchers, India has a growing obesity problem. From 1975 to 2014 India has seen a prominent increase in obesity, especially in women. In 2014, there were 20 million obese women as compared to less than 8 lakh in 1975.
Not only cancer, an obese person’s health is risked by other problems like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and various heart diseases.
To measure obesity, BMI(Body Mass Index) or Quetelet index is used. It classifies the person as underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese depending on the value obtained.
It is calculated by dividing the total mass of your body (in kilograms) with the square of your height (in meters).
If the BMI is between 18.5 and 25kg/m2, then that is considered the optimal weight. BMI less than 18.5 means person is underweight. A value between 25 and 30 indicated overweight and above 3o, the person is considered obese.
HOW OBESITY CAUSES CANCER
Many cancers have been linked with being overweight and obese like Breast, Uterine, Kidney, Pancreatic, Prostate, Gall Bladder, Thyroid and Colorectal.
Obesity is linked with cancer because an obese body has increased levels of insulin and insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) which may help cancer to grow.
Another reason can be higher amounts of estrogen produced by fat tissues which increases the risk of cancers like breast cancer.Surplus body fat affects the immune system and obese people also have chronic low-level inflammation which has been related with elevated cancer risks.
In present times, 40% of cancer has been linked with overweight in United States and our India is not far behind.
HOW TO MANAGE YOUR WEIGHT
Weight can be controlled by simply monitoring what we have when we have, and how we have it. Also, exercise plays a major role in balancing our calories.
- Eat more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
- Avoid sugary drinks as they are high in calories.
- Fast food should be left for occasional treats only.
- Keep your muscles hydrated by drinking lots of water.
- Exercise regularly and adopt a healthy lifestyle.
