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A recent study indicates that weight loss can lower the risk of developing cancers associated with obesity, according to findings presented at the American Diabetes Association’s annual meeting. Obesity is known to increase the likelihood of at least 13 types of cancer due to elevated hormone levels such as estrogen and insulin.
The research, led by Dr. Kenda Alkwatli, a clinical fellow at Cleveland Clinic, analyzed electronic health records of over 100,000 obese patients, among whom more than 5,300 developed cancer. They tracked changes in BMI over three-, five-, and ten-year intervals preceding cancer diagnoses and compared them with a control group.
The study revealed that shedding pounds could significantly reduce the risk of most obesity-related cancers within a five-year timeframe. Notably, the risk of kidney cancer decreased within three years, while endometrial cancer risk declined at three and five years. The risk of multiple myeloma was also found to decrease over a ten-year period.
Moreover, weight loss appeared to provide protection against an additional 16 types of cancers not typically associated with obesity. These included melanoma, skin cancers, lung cancers, genital cancers, eye cancers, brain tumors, and cancers of the digestive organs.
Dr. Alkwatli emphasized the study’s implications for treating obesity as a chronic condition, highlighting the potential for weight loss interventions to mitigate cancer risks among obese individuals. Future research aims to explore the impact of anti-obesity medications like Wegovy and Zepbound in further reducing cancer risks associated with obesity.
It’s important to note that findings presented at medical meetings are considered preliminary until they undergo peer-reviewed journal publication.
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