Answer:

Obesity negatively impacts health and is a contributing factor to over 200 different diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and various cancers, particularly those of the digestive system.

Excessive fat accumulation, especially visceral fat—the fat surrounding vital organs like the liver, kidneys, heart, and lungs—can promote inflammation. Chronic inflammation can lead to stress and the formation of free radicals, which can damage DNA, causing gene mutations and increasing cancer risk. A prolonged inflammatory environment also creates favorable conditions for cancer cell growth.

Doctor Ngoc examines and advises a patient. Illustration: Tam Anh General Hospital.

Obesity also impairs immune function. A weakened immune system is less effective at detecting and destroying abnormal cells, increasing the risk of these cells surviving and developing into cancer. Obesity disrupts the gut microbiome, allowing some harmful bacteria to overgrow. This imbalance alters the body's immune response, further promoting inflammation and raising the risk of colorectal cancer.

Being overweight or obese promotes insulin resistance. When the body's cells become less responsive to insulin, the pancreas produces more to compensate. High insulin levels in the blood stimulate the growth of abnormal cells, creating a favorable environment for tumor development. Excess fat, especially in women, can disrupt sex hormones. Fat can convert androgens into estrogen, increasing the level of circulating estrogen in the body. Chronically high estrogen levels stimulate the growth of breast and uterine lining cells, leading to breast and endometrial cancers.

Being overweight or obese can increase the risk of 13 different cancers, including colorectal, breast, gallbladder, liver, kidney, oral cavity-pharynx-larynx, esophageal, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, stomach, and uterine cancers. To monitor your risk of obesity and visceral fat, you can calculate your body mass index (BMI) using the formula: BMI = weight (kg) / height x height (m2). A BMI of 25 or higher is considered obese. Measuring your waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) can determine your risk of visceral fat accumulation. The safe threshold for men is < 0.9 and for women is < 0.85.

It's advisable to visit a medical facility with a weight management center for comprehensive, multi-specialty checkups and screenings. This allows for timely treatment and weight loss, which can help reduce your cancer risk.

Dr. Le Ba Ngoc

Head of General Internal Medicine Department

Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi