Our research shows that being overweight or obese is a cause of at least 13 types of cancer, which is why we recommend that people maintain a healthy weight to reduce their risk of cancer.
> Being a healthy weight
> What is a healthy weight?
> What’s the science behind obesity and cancer?
> How many adults in the UK are overweight or obese?
> How many children aged 2-15 in the UK overweight or obese?
> Tips to help you stay a healthy weight
After not smoking, being a healthy weight is the most important way you can protect yourself against cancer.
There’s strong evidence that being overweight or obese is a cause of at least 13 different types of cancer, which include:
It’s not just cancer that’s affected by obesity. Being a healthy weight can also help to reduce your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Your weight is a balancing act between the energy you put in (calories from foods and drinks) and the energy you use (for normal bodily functions and what you burn during physical activity).
The average adult man needs around 2,500 calories a day and an average woman needs about 2,000 calories. If you eat or drink more than your body needs, you will put on weight. The reverse is also true: if you regularly use more energy than you take in, you will lose weight.
Our research shows that there are several reasons for the link between body weight and cancer.
For example, we know that fat cells release hormones such as oestrogen. Excess oestrogen can increase the risk of some cancers, like breast and womb cancer, and promote their growth.
Storing too much fat can cause insulin resistance (where insulin becomes less effective at controlling blood sugar levels), which encourages the body to produce growth hormones. High levels of these hormones can promote the growth of cancer cells.
Body fat also stimulates an inflammatory response. Inflammation can promote the growth of cancer by encouraging cancer cells to divide. This inflammatory response may underpin the wide variety of different cancers that have been linked to obesity.
Overweight = BMI between 25 and 29.9, while Obese = BMI of 30 and over. In all countries, men are more likely than women to be overweight.
| Nation | Overweight % | Obese % | Overweight and obese combined % * |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 36 | 28 | 64 |
| Wales | 36 | 25 | 61 |
| Scotland | 35 | 28 | 63 |
| Northern Ireland | 38 | 27 | 65 |
Children who are overweight or obese are likely to continue to be so in adulthood, and we know that overweight and obesity in adulthood increases cancer risk.
| Nation | Overweight % | Obese % | Overweight and obese combined % * |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 12 | 16 | 28 |
| Wales | 15 | 19 | 34 |
| Scotland | 15 | 14 | 29 |
| Northern Ireland | 17 | 8 | 25 |
Following four simple steps can make all the difference. If you’re overweight, losing even a few pounds will make a positive difference to your health.
Feel fuller on fewer calories by swapping high-calorie processed foods such as biscuits, cakes, crisps and fast foods like pizza, chips and burgers, for fibre-rich wholegrains, vegetables, pulses and fruit.
> Read about high-calorie foods and cancer prevention
> Get inspired by our healthy recipes
Too much of almost any food can cause you to gain weight. So only eat when you’re hungry and opt for smaller serving sizes to make it easier to control how much you’re eating.
Food labels include lots of useful information to help us make healthier choices. Use the front-of-pack traffic light label to see, at a glance, if a food is high, medium or low in fat, sugar and salt. You can also use food labels to compare calorie content and see how many servings are in a pack.
> Our guide makes sense of food labelling
Cutting down on screen time (time spent doing sedentary activities like watching television or using a computer) and keeping active can help you to maintain a healthy weight.
> Why not sign up for a running event to help keep you motivated?
> Get inspired with tips on moving more
*Obesity statistics come from the Health Survey for England 2019, the National Survey for Wales 2019-20, the Scottish Health Survey 2020, and the Health Survey Northern Ireland 2019-20
