Obesity is a chronic health condition marked by excessive accumulation of body fat that can weaken your health. It is influenced by a combination of genetics, lifestyle, environment, and metabolic factors. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. BMI is a calculation based on height and weight, commonly used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems.
The excess weight men carry is quietly creating an environment ripe for cancer to grow. “And while it's often brushed off, obesity’s link with cancer, especially in men, is far stronger than most realise. It’s time people paid attention to what the fat is really fuelling,” says Dr Justin Jee, MD, PhD, Thoracic Medical Oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, New York.
Obesity is often associated with heart disease or diabetes, but it also plays a critical role in how your cells behave. “Fat tissue secretes hormones, encourages chronic inflammation, and disrupts healthy cellular functioning. Obesity creates a pro-inflammatory environment that supports tumour formation. The biological changes it triggers go deep into how cells grow, divide, and even mutate.” adds Dr Jee.
Fat tissue, especially around the abdomen, changes how your body regulates insulin and hormones like oestrogen and testosterone. “These shifts disturb your body’s natural checks and balances. The hormonal disruptions caused by obesity can stimulate unregulated cell growth. This is one of the key mechanisms by which cancer takes root,” Dr Jee explains.
Dr Jee explains 3 cancers linked to obesity in men
- Colorectal cancer: Fat increases insulin and inflammation, which accelerates abnormal cell growth in the colon and rectum, making colorectal cancer more likely.
- Kidney cancer: Obesity elevates blood pressure and changes hormone levels, these conditions create the perfect storm for kidney cell mutations.
- Pancreatic cancer: Inflammation and high insulin levels from excess fat encourage pancreatic cells to grow uncontrollably, often silently until it’s too late.
As per CDC, being overweight or obese increases the risk of several other cancers in men, including cancers of the liver, prostate, thyroid and others:
- Liver cancer: Fat accumulation in the liver leads to scarring and damage, increasing the risk of liver cirrhosis and ultimately liver cancer.
- Prostate cancer: Obesity may not increase initial prostate cancer risk but is linked to more aggressive, harder-to-treat forms.
- Oesophageal cancer: Excess abdominal weight can lead to acid reflux, which in turn increases the risk of oesophageal cancer.
- Gallbladder cancer: Obesity raises cholesterol levels and gallstone formation, both of which raise the risk of gallbladder cancer.
- Thyroid health: Obesity disrupts hormone production and regulation, increasing the likelihood of thyroid abnormalities and potentially cancer.
- Breast cancer: Men with obesity have higher levels of oestrogen, which can lead to the rare but serious male breast cancer.
- Stomach cancer: Obesity causes increased production of growth factors and acid, both of which are known to damage the stomach lining and promote cancer.
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