Meta-Analysis Links Higher BMI to 19 Cancers Across 1.5 Million Cases
Updated
Updated · Nature.com · Jun 15
Meta-Analysis Links Higher BMI to 19 Cancers Across 1.5 Million Cases
3 articles · Updated · Nature.com · Jun 15
Summary
A review of 226 prospective studies found higher BMI was associated with increased risk for 19 of 25 cancer types and lower risk for three, expanding earlier consensus reports that had identified at least 13.
The analysis covered 1.52 million incident cancers and newly flagged positive associations for leukaemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, bladder cancer and glioma, while Mendelian randomization results were generally directionally consistent.
Risk varied sharply by cancer type: each 5 kg/m² BMI increase was linked to 58% higher endometrial cancer risk and 47% higher oesophageal adenocarcinoma risk, but only a 3% increase for glioma.
Regional and sex differences emerged, with stronger postmenopausal breast and ovarian cancer associations in East Asia, weaker gallbladder cancer links there, and stronger colorectal cancer associations in men.
The authors said BMI and waist circumference showed broadly similar cancer associations, but large parts of the world—including Africa and South and Central America—remain unrepresented in prospective obesity-cancer research.
If obesity is redefined by health risk, not BMI, are we prepared to treat millions more patients for cancer prevention?
How can doctors safely use new obesity drugs in cancer care when clinical guidelines are lagging far behind?
Why is funding for cancer research collapsing just as new obesity drugs offer a potential breakthrough?
Obesity and Cancer in 2025: Scientific Consensus, Biological Mechanisms, and the Urgent Need for Prevention
Overview
Recent scientific research has greatly expanded our understanding of how excess body weight increases cancer risk. Large-scale studies and meta-analyses now show that overweight and obesity are not only linked to heart disease and diabetes, but are also established risk factors for many types of cancer. This is due to biological changes caused by excess weight, such as chronic inflammation and hormonal imbalances, which can promote cancer development. The growing evidence highlights overweight and obesity as major public health crises, making prevention and weight management essential strategies for reducing cancer risk worldwide.