A new study from the Institute of Cancer Research indicates that obesity significantly contributes to the rising rates of 11 types of cancer among young adults aged 20 to 49 in England, suggesting a shift away from traditional risk factors such as smoking and diet.
Key findings:
- In 2023, approximately 31,000 cancers were diagnosed in individuals aged 20 to 49.
- The cancers linked to obesity include thyroid, multiple myeloma, liver, kidney, gallbladder, colorectal, pancreatic, endometrial, oral, breast, and ovarian cancers.
- Bowel cancer rates in younger women linked to BMI rose from 0.9 to 1.6 per 100,000 people.
- For nine of the eleven cancers studied, rates are increasing both in younger and older adults.
According to documents reviewed from national cancer registry data spanning from 2001 to 2019, the overall number of cases diagnosed among those aged 50 to 79 reached approximately 244,000. This stark contrast highlights not only the growing incidence among younger demographics but also raises questions about the underlying causes of these trends.
Professor Montserrat García‑Closas noted that while cancer rates are indeed rising in younger adults, these trends cannot be solely attributed to changes in most known behavioural risk factors. Smoking rates among younger adults have decreased by around two percent annually over the past two decades. This decline suggests that other factors may be at play.
Professor Kristian Helin emphasized that addressing obesity through stronger public health policies and increased access to effective interventions is essential for slowing the rise in cancer rates. He advocated for this issue to become a national priority as it could prevent many cancers.
Despite these findings indicating an increase in certain cancers among younger populations due to obesity — with estimates suggesting that up to twenty percent of bowel cancer cases may be explained by increases in BMI — officials acknowledge that the precise causes behind these rising rates remain unclear and necessitate further investigation.
As researchers continue to explore this complex issue, they stress that while cancer in young people is still relatively rare compared to older age groups, understanding and mitigating these emerging risks will be crucial for future public health strategies.