UK cancer rates set to double due to high obesity rates

If obesity rates continue to increase then the number of cancer cases in the UK could double in the next 40 years, a leading cancer expert has warned ahead of a conference of scientists specializing in the links between cancer and obesity. Martin Wiseman, medical and scientific adviser for World Cancer Research Fund, believes today's children could face big increases in rates of cancer as adults unless something is done to curb the obesity crisis.

Speaking ahead of a London conference organized by the charity and the Association for the Study of Obesity, Prof Wiseman said the fact that a third of women and half of men are projected to be obese in 40 years is one of the most important reasons for the expected doubling in cancer cases.

He said: "the evidence now shows that, after not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight is the most important thing you can do for cancer prevention. This means that if rates of obesity continue to rise then this will have serious consequences for cancer rates in the UK. Unless something happens soon to stop the increase in obesity, then we are sleepwalking towards a situation where the UK will be facing more cancer cases than ever before. Rising obesity rates are not the only reason we expect the number of cancer cases to double over the next 40 years, but it is an important factor."