Oder adults who are heavy,especially around the midde,seem to have a higher risk of developing colon cancer than their thinner peers.
And exercise may lower the incidence of the diseases,especiall for woman,a European study Said.
More than 120,000 adults in the Netherlands aged 55 to 69 were folowed for 16 years by study,published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
During that time 2% developed colorectal cancer,tumours of the colon and rectum ,though most were diagnosed with colon cancer . The risk was 25% higher for men who were significantly overweight or obese at outset,versus normal-weight men.
For men ,waist size seemed to matter most. Men with the biggest bellies , gauged by the self reported trouser size,had a 63% greater risk of colorectal cancer than men were trim around the middle.
Among Women ,though,a large waistline was only linked toa higher cancer risk in women who also got little excercise, defined as less than 30 minutes a day.
Women who topped a 44 in pants size- about a size 16 in the united states- and got little exercise were 83% more likely to developed colon cancer than women who had smaler waistlines and exercise more than 90 minutes a day .
Studies have tied obdominal obesity to other health conditions,such as diabetes and heart disease.And belly fat seems to be particulaly linked to chronic,low-level inflamation in the body.
One of our most intriguing observation was the abdominal fat was associated with colorectal cancer in woman only when combined with low excercise levels .it is not clear why that might be or why the pattern was seen only in women.
Calorie balance,or how much you take in through food versus how much you burn through excercise ,may be important.Women should focus on maintaining a heathy lifestyle rather than simply paying attention to what the scale says.
Risk factors for colorectal disease incude older age,a history of colitis or Crohn's disease ,a family history of the cancer,and smoking.Some studies have also linked diets high in animal fat ,and low in fruits, vegetables and fibre to an increased risk -reuters-
