CHAPTER 9. Obesity and Cancer Risk

Obesity is a major global public health problem and a key risk factor for several cancers. Obesity is a complex disease caused by a chronic positive energy balance state. Different mechanisms have been proposed to explain the influence of obesity on cancer risk. These include adipose tissue dysfunction, which is accompanied by metabolic, inflammatory and hormonal alterations that can impact cancer initiation and progression. More recently, obesity-associated dysbiosis has been highlighted as an important factor in cancer development. As the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research recommend, maintaining a healthy body weight is a key strategy for cancer prevention. As obesity prevalence increases in developed and developing countries, multidisciplinary approaches will be needed in order to promote weight loss and, thus, effectively reduce rates of cancer incidence.