Obesity-related cancer rates in China were rising at an alarming 3.6% every year between 2007 and 2021 while non-obesity-related cancers remained stable, according to the first comprehensive study published August 22 in the journal Med . The increase is particularly pronounced among young people, highlighting the urgent need for better public health policies to address China's growing overweight and obesity rates.
"If we don't drastically change the obesity epidemic , the rates of cancer associated with obesity will inevitably continue to rise," says Jin-Kui Yang, the paper's corresponding author and an endocrinologist at Capital Medical University in Beijing. "It will place a large burden on China's economy and health care system." Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in China, with lung cancer being the most common type.
However, obesity-related cancers, such as colorectal, breast, and thyroid cancers , have been growing rapidly. Previous studies have suggested that obesity will soon overtake smoking to become the main modifiable risk factor of cancer. "Overweight and obesity rates among Chinese children and adolescents are approaching those of the US despite years of public health efforts focused primarily on raising awareness," Yang says.
"These strategies have not been sufficient. Moving forward, we urgently need more effective and aggressive approaches, possibly including medications and calorie labeling, to reduce obesity in the country." Yang and his team.