Obesity: A growing concern in the health arena that could lead to a lot more problems than one can imagine. Obesity is often linked with heart diseases, fatty liver disease, diabetes, joint problems and so on, but it also leads the road of health towards 13 different types of cancers that may be oblivious to us. 

 

People widely think obesity refers to having excessive fat in the body but it’s not just fat. It’s a hormonal and inflammatory condition that significantly disrupts the behaviour of your cells. 
Fat tissues in an obese person releases extra estrogen, insulin, and inflammatory chemicals. These disrupt the normal cycle of the cell, promote hormone-driven cancer, fuel tumor growth and weaken the immune system’s ability to kill abnormal cells.

Additionally, it not just stops here but also leads to the growth of 13 types of cancerous cells in the body that includes:-

Postmenopausal Breast Cancer
Increased estrogen from fat tissue raises breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women.

Endometrial (Uterine) Cancer
Women who are obese are 2–4x more likely to develop this type of cancer because they have too much estrogen.

Colon & Rectal Cancer
Central obesity is very closely related to inflammation in the gut.

Esophageal Adenocarcinoma
Partially caused by acid reflux and inflammation due to obesity.

Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer
High BMI leads to metabolic disorder and cell growth in kidneys.

Liver Cancer
Mostly motivated by non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) secondary to obesity.

Gallbladder Cancer
Obesity-related gallstones increase risk significantly.

Pancreatic Cancer
Systemic inflammation, insulin resistance, and elevated insulin levels contribute.

Ovarian Cancer
Hormonal disorder in obese women can raise risk, particularly after menopause.

Stomach (Gastric Cardia) Cancer
Acid reflux due to fat and stomach lining alteration stimulate this.

Thyroid Cancer
Obesity could affect thyroid hormones and inflammatory mechanisms.

Multiple Myeloma
Less known, but fat in the body is seen to influence bone marrow and immune function.

Meningioma (Brain Tumor)
Associated through hormone levels and fat-controlled growth signals.

Obesity doesn’t just refer to being fat and no it’s also not about “body positivity” anymore. It is a biological condition that has the ability to create an environment for the cancerous cells to grow and thrive. If the obesity rates climb globally, so does the cancer risk. 

It’s important to opt for a conscious lifestyle, modest weight loss and healthy eating habits, not to make your body perfect but to make it less prone to harmful bacteria and cancerous cells. 
And if you are overweight, consult a doctor about the early cancer screening and preventive health steps.