Cancer is one of the many health problems linked to obesity. Now, a new report finds being overweight could become the number one cause of cancer in women in Western countries in the future. Obesity or overweight make up about eight percent of cancers in Europe. Experts say that’s expected to go up significantly as the obesity epidemic continues, and other big cancer causes like smoking and hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women go down dramatically.

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Having weight-loss surgery may help obese women lower their risk of developing cancer. Swedish researchers found women who had bariatric surgery were 42 percent less likely to develop cancer, but men in the study did not benefit. Researchers say that may be because many cancers are driven by female hormones like estrogen, or simply because fewer men have weight-loss surgery.

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Studies have already shown that obesity can increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. But a new study suggests the risk is greatest among people who were already overweight during their teenage years or obese during their 20s and 30s.

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Here’s a good reason not to bother chopping up those carrots before you cook them. Not only will it save you time, a new report finds the cancer-fighting benefits of carrots are enhanced 25 percent if they are cooked whole instead of cut into pieces. Researchers say chopping them up lets more nutrients leach out while they cook.

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If you’re a meat lover, you might want to cut back a bit. A new large study finds older Americans who eat too much red meat and processed meats are more at risk of dying from heart disease and cancer. Researchers say over 10 years, eating the equivalent of a quarter-pound hamburger every day gave men a 22 percent higher risk of dying of cancer and a 27 percent higher risk of dying of heart disease compared to those who ate the least red meat – just five ounces a week. And women who ate a lot of red meat had a 20 percent higher risk of dying of cancer and a 50 percent higher risk of dying of heart disease than women who ate less.

How much red meat and processed meat do you eat?

Me – I don’t care for the stuff and only eat poultry and fish.

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You may not want to count on a multivitamin to keep you from getting a serious illness. The largest study ever of older women who take multivitamins finds the pills do nothing to prevent common cancers or heart disease. The findings are similar to recent disappointing results in men. Research has focused on cancer and heart disease in particular because there’s proof diets full of vitamin-rich foods may protect against those illnesses. But pills may not do the trick.

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Children who regularly eat cured meats like bacon and hot dogs may be more at risk for leukemia, says a new study in the online journal BMC Cancer.

When researchers looked at 515 Taiwanese children and teenagers with and without acute leukemia, they found those who ate cured meats and fish more than once a week had a 74 percent higher risk of leukemia than those who rarely ate them. But kids who often ate vegetables and soy products had about half the leukemia risk as those who avoided them.

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*Note to self* – eat more vegetables, nuts, and fish. And now is a good time to do it. A new report says if you stick closely to a Mediterranean-style diet, it dramatically reduces your risk of cancer, heart disease, and other major chronic illnesses.

The diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, grains, and healthy fats like olive oil and it’s low in red meat, dairy products and alcohol. It also includes, nuts, beans, and seeds.

Scientists analyzed the results of 12 major studies that looked at more than 1.5 million people. They found the chance of developing all types of cancer was six percent lower in those who followed the Mediterranean diet, being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease went down 13-percent, and the likelihood of dying overall dropped nine percent.

The study is published on bmj.com

I tend to eat a lot of the foods in the Mediterranean diet, but I often have chicken and turkey too… and of course, the “occasional” gourmet chocolate. How about you – what’s your eating style?

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Four food manufacturers have agreed to reduce the levels of a cancer-causing chemical in their potato chips and french fries and pay $3 million in fines under a new settlement. California sued H.J. Heinz Co., Frito-Lay, Kettle Foods Inc., and Lance Inc. in 2005, alleging they violated a state requirement that companies post warning labels on products with carcinogens.

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You’ve probably heard about many of the health benefits of gastric bypass surgery, like how it can improve blood pressure, possibly cure diabetes, and lower the risk of dying early. Now there may be another bonus that comes with the weight loss procedure – two new reports say it may help prevent cancer.

The first study, from Brazil, finds the procedure may help protect against cancer and infections. How? Researchers say the surgery can improve the patient’s immune system, making it better at fighting off both.

The second study is from Montreal. It shows severely obese patients who had bariatric surgery had an 85 percent drop in breast cancer and a 70 percent decrease in colon cancer compared with people who didn’t have the procedure.

Gastric bypass surgery permanently reduces the size of the stomach and bypasses part of the intestines, restricting food intake and food absorption. Of course, this is a major procedure and the decision to have it should not be taken lightly. But for some people, the benefits may outweigh the risks.

The National Cancer Institute says cancers linked to obesity include colon, breast, endometrial, kidney and esophageal.

The study from Brazil was presented at The Endocrine Society’s 90th Annual Meeting in San Francisco. The one from Montreal was presented at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery’s annual meeting in Washington, DC.

Photo Credit: stock.xchng

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