How does obesity cause cancer? | Cancer Research UK

Overweight and obesity is the second biggest preventable cause of cancer in the UK- more than 1 in 20 cancer cases are caused by excess weight. The risk is higher the more weight a person gains and the longer they are overweight for.

Extra fat in the body doesn’t just sit there, its active, sending out signals to the rest of your body. These signals can tell cells in our body to divide more often, which can lead to cancer.

The good news is small changes that are kept up over time can make a real difference
People keeping a healthy weight could prevent around 22,800 cases of cancer every year in the UK.

Watch as Dr Dawn Harper explains how obesity can cause cancer.