New study highlights role of diabetes and obesity in causing cancer

New research has shed light on the significant role that diabetes and obesity are playing in the global proliferation of cancer.

The Imperial College London study assessed the increase in new cases of 18 cancers based on the prevalence of diabetes and high body mass index (BMI) scores across 175 countries between 1980 and 2002.

When considered individually, 544,300 cases were attributable to high BMI – equivalent to 3.9 percent of all cancers – while 280,100 were attributable to diabetes, or two percent of all cancer cases.

Most of the cancer cases attributable to diabetes and high BMI occurred in high-income western countries, with the second largest proportion occurring in east and southeast Asian nations.

Globally, liver and endometrial cancer contributed the highest number of cases caused by diabetes and high BMI, with these figures potentially underestimating the overall risk due to the ten-year lag between risk factor exposure and cancer development.

Dr Jonathan Pearson-Stuttard, lead author of the study at Imperial College London, said: "It is important that effective food policies are implemented to tackle the rising prevalence of diabetes, high BMI and the diseases related to these risk factors."

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