Prevent Disease.com - Obesity in British Males Approaching U.S. Levels



		Obesity in British Males Approaching U.S. Levels Excerpt By Patricia Reaney, Reuters Health Obesity in British men is fast approaching U.S. levels, raising their risk of cancer, scientists said Wednesday. About 20 percent of men in Britain are obese and a further 50 percent are overweight, according to research compiled by the charity Cancer Research UK. "Britons are now where the Americans were six years ago in terms of the percentage of the obese," the charity's Professor Julian Peto told a news conference. Health experts are worried about the alarming rise in the number of overweight and obese British males, which rose 60 percent between 1993 and 2001, because piling on the pounds makes them more vulnerable to various types of cancer. Obesity is a problem for both sexes, but research has shown that men are more likely to turn a blind eye when it comes to health problems. "One in eight of all cancer deaths in Britain in non-smokers is caused by being overweight and obese," said Peto, who will present his findings to members of parliament. Those extra pounds on men increase the risk of developing cancer of the colon, pancreas, kidneys, liver and esophagus. In women it raises the odds of breast, uterine, cervical and ovarian cancer. In addition to the higher risk of getting cancer, heavier men and women are more likely than their slimmer counterparts to be diagnosed when they are in the later stages of the disease, when the odds of beating it are reduced. Globally, there are more than one billion overweight adults, and at least 300 million of them are obese, according to the World Health Organization. Obesity is gauged by body mass index, or BMI, which is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. A BMI of more than 30 is considered obese. Causes vary, but in most cases obesity is due to unhealthy eating and lack of exercise. Psychological factors such as depression may play a role, along with certain physical problems and genetics. After smoking, obesity is the second-most important and preventable cause of cancer in the United Kingdom, according to Dr. Richard Sullivan, of Cancer Research UK. "It is entirely preventable in the majority of cases," he said. Although the British government has launched initiatives to reduce obesity, the charity is urging it to intensify them. Reference Source 89 For more information on how to prevent other diseases, use PreventDisease.com's "Quick Prevention Resources".