Obesity has been the “face” of many diseases, including esophageal cancer. Here are the results of three studies.
The first
Esophageal cancer is six times more common in people who are overweight (BMI at least 40) and twice as common in people who are obese (BMI above 30) compared to those with a normal body mass index (BMI).
The highest risk for esophageal cancer is in overweight people with a history of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
The association between obesity and esophageal cancer is higher in men than in women, and obesity affects more people under age 50.
However, this does not confirm that obesity directly causes esophageal cancer.
Second
The dramatic rise in the incidence of esophageal cancer, primarily adenocarcinoma, coincides with the rise in obesity rates. The overall incidence of esophageal cancer in the United States has increased year by year, with a similar upward trend in BMI, but with a slight decrease in African American women.
So, avoiding obesity may reduce the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
Third
People who are overweight in their 20s have a 60% to 80% higher risk of developing esophageal and stomach cancer compared to those who are normal weight.
People who gain more than 18 kg at age 50 have a doubled risk of esophageal cancer and a modestly increased risk of stomach cancer.
People who are obese at both 20 and 50 years of age have a three-fold or greater increased risk of esophageal and stomach cancer. That is, if a person is overweight in their 20s and continues to be obese later in life, they have an increased risk of developing esophageal and stomach cancer.
However, this doesn’t prove that weight gain causes esophageal or stomach cancer, it just points to an association between the two.
In summary, obesity is strongly associated with the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma, and controlling your weight can help keep this cancer away.