Being Slightly Overweight Increases the Risk of Cancer
The connection between weight and cancer risk has been firmly established for a while but are you at risk ?
Research is now showing the problem to be greater than originally thought.
Even being slightly overweight can lead to greatly increased risks
It’s all about BMI or the Body Mass Index
Forget these nonsensical charts that give you height to weight ratios they can be very misleading.
Firstly the ranges are very broad, especially looking at different charts. I can get a variance of 4 stone, or about 55lbs, over various graphs which all say I’m spot on !
If you check these things and appear to fall within the ideal weight range also be aware that these charts are not saying you are the right weight - they mean your weight is such that you need not worry about your health - a very different thing, also very wrong !
Especially so now. Obesity and the cancer link is clearly researched now and universally accepted. Now however, closer studies are showing that even being a bit overweight has an impact.
If your weight is in the upper range of the so called healthy weight range you increase your chances of cancer by up to 15% over those who fall into the lower part of the range.
There are already massive increases in breast and ovarian cancer predicted for women in the coming years and this research will offer no comfort to those who think they are not particularly fat maybe just carrying a few extra pounds.
Weight is now second only to smoking in the reasons for contracting cancer and the rapidly increasing weight of the nation is outstripping any benefits caused by an overall reduction in smoking - and by a long way.
It’s well worth checking your BMI out this is they key to it all
The World Health Organization say the ideal BMI figure is 18.5 to 25
Some commentators are a little more lenient and say 20 to 25 but the WHO is the authority
Above 25 and you are overweight
Above 30 and you are clinically obese
Just being nearer to 25 than 18.5 causes a much higher risk.
So we recommend everyone go to an online BMI calculator and get your reading - you can even post it here if you want 
Seriously, please do calculate your level
For the record your host comes in at 19.8
Little Brother said,
May 31, 2008 @ 12:00 am
Rod,
Does this mean that burnt toast has slipped down the rankings? If you read the Daily Mail or Express then everything gives you cancer, unless they have a Princess Di headline which is obviously more important.
How much of this is down to luck of the draw, I wonder? We both know people who have never excercised or watched their weight and lived for ever (Father!!) whilst those who have seem to succumb to something dreadful.
For all the years I have eaten healthy food and trained in various gyms I generally feel bloody awful, lifting weights is a mug’s game, they should stick a health warning on that!
LB (still training despite of it all)
Rod said,
May 31, 2008 @ 8:00 am
LB,
personally I feel much is genetically predetermined.
That is to say you are either in for the short innings or a long one.
What you do in terms of lifestyle will increase or lengthen your life a bit but that’s it.
The things is we cannot alter our genetic make up but we can alter our lifestyles.
If people don’t want to the that’s fine - just as long as they’re not making those choices in ignorance !
Sorry to hear you feel dreadful, personally I cannot recall ever having felt better, so I’m an advocate for healthy food, exercise and trying to stay fit
Rod