Obesity in teenage may up colon cancer risk later

Is your adolescent overweight or obese? Beware; it may increase risk of developing colon cancer in adulthood. The study showed that overweight and obesity were associated with 53 per cent and 54 per cent higher risks of colon cancer for men and women, respectively.

Obesity was also associated with a 71 per cent increased risk of rectal cancer in men and more than a two-fold risk in women. "The findings come at a time of growing concern about the impact of adolescent overweight and obesity on chronic disease later in life," said Zohar Levi.

The team analysed information on 1,087,358 Jewish males and 707,212 Jewish females who underwent health examinations, including measures of body mass index (BMI), at age 16 to 19 years (predominantly aged 17 years).

Over a median follow-up of 23 years, 2,967 new cases of colorectal cancer identified, in this 1,977 among men (1,403 colon, 574 rectums) and 990 among women (764 colon, 226 rectums).