Britain's obesity epidemic has created 'cancer time bomb'

Soaring obesity rates have lumbered Britain with a "cancer time bomb" which, combined with an ageing population, will cause a massive increase in cases unless urgent action is taken, an expert has warned.

Research has shown up to 40 per cent of cancers, particularly hormone-sensitive types such as breast and endometrial cancer (affecting the womb lining), can be prevented by adopting a healthy diet and taking regular exercise, said Dr Greg Martin, science and research manager at the World Cancer Research Fund. Obesity was also associated with cancer of the oesophagus and bowel, said Dr Martin.

"There has been plenty of attention recently on the problems of obesity, but a lot of people still do not realise how closely obesity is linked to cancer," he said. "People getting fatter will lead to an increase in the number of cancer cases as surely as night follows day.

Dr Martin, who was speaking at the start of his charity's Cancer Prevention Week, added: "You also have to add into the mix that cancer is largely an older person's disease, and the UK has an ageing population. So if you have an ageing population that is getting more obese, there could be really serious consequences in terms of the number of people getting cancer if people do not act now. It's a cancer time bomb."

Although the biological mechanics connecting obesity and cancer were far from clear, he said, adipose tissue, which makes up the rolls of fat that form around the belly, was not inert but produced oestrogen. The hormone is known to fuel certain cancers. For people with oesophagus cancer, which is especially deadly, obesity may increase acid reflux which in turn raises the risk of cancer.

In 2003 an estimated 4.3 million British men were obese, said Dr Martin. That figure was expected to rise to 6.6 million in 2010. "It's a huge chunk of the population," he said. "Each of these 6.6 million people are going to have an increased risk of cancer, but this is an avoidable risk factor.

"This kind of increase cannot be explained by anything genetic. It's almost certainly a function of behaviour. It's something we can do something about."

He said he expected cancer rates to follow the pattern of obesity. "When you look at a time series of maps it's really like an epidemic, a virus spreading.

"In a lot of ways behaviour is communicable. All over the world people are starting to adopt the same kind of eating pattern," he said. In poorer countries, people were now suffering from chronic diseases as well as ancient infections as a result of embracing Western diets and lifestyles, he said.

"The frustrating thing is that people can make simple changes to their lifestyles to reduce their chances of getting cancer, but ultimately each person has to make that commitment and at the moment too many people are dying because they are not taking action.

"It really is as simple as eating more healthily, making sure your portion size is not too big, and taking regular exercise.

"When you think about what a devastating disease cancer is, it really is worth taking these simple steps because they can make a big difference." The National Audit Office has estimated that obesity costs the NHS £500m a year. Adult obesity rates have quadrupled in the past 25 years, and 22 per cent of Britons are obese. Seventy-five per cent are overweight.

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