https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-10/asoh-gpt102320.php
News Release 26-Oct-2020
American Society of Human Genetics
Although a recent campaign by Cancer Research UK emphasized obesity as a risk factor for cancer on par with smoking, the scientific literature on the relationship between increased weight and cancer risk is not so clear.
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Most studies of the impact of obesity on cancer risk are observational. To distinguish causation from correlation, Mr. Amin and his colleagues used an epidemiological technique known as Mendelian randomization. Using data from the UK Biobank, they compared rates of cancer between people who are genetically predisposed to be heavier and people who are genetically predisposed to be lighter. This allowed the researchers to estimate a causal association between increased weight and cancer risk independent of any confounding variables.
The researchers found that although heavier women have an increased risk of breast cancer, women who are genetically predisposed to being heavier are less likely to develop breast cancer. This disparity suggests the increased incidence of breast cancer in heavier women is likely due to additional differences between the two groups. Mr. Amin and his colleagues plan on investigating what these differences might be in the future.
Heavier men were less likely to develop prostate cancer compared to those who were lighter, both observationally and when using genetically predicted measures.
Interestingly, this effect is significantly stronger in men who are exposed to carcinogenic substances at work, supporting the hypothesis that fat cells play a role in absorbing and safely storing harmful chemicals.
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"Furthermore, there may even be certain risks in advising fat loss if, for example, if fat cells are involved in the absorption of carcinogenic substances."
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