Obese women are four times more likely to develop colorectal cancer than normal-weight women, according to new study findings reported here at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology.

Dr. Joseph Anderson of the State University of New York at Stony Brook said obesity was also associated with increased colorectal cancer risk in men, but "the increased risk in men was not significant."

The data are based on 2300 colonoscopies performed in 1050 women. The average age of patients was 57 years, he said. The results were adjusted for smoking, age, alcohol use and family history.

"While obesity is associated with increased risk, it should be noted that the study does not account for fat distribution," Anderson explained. Fat distribution and fat type are factors that influence risk, he said.

"The findings suggest that obesity may be a useful marker for identifying a high risk population for screening," Anderson concluded.

Reference Source 89
November 2, 2004

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