Is this tied to nearly half of all cancer in America?

By Lynn Hutley, health enews,

a news service from Advocate Health Care

A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that overweight and obesity are associated with 13 different types of cancer, which make up about 40% of all diagnosed cancer in the U.S.

The report goes on to say that between 2005 and 2014, cancers associated with overweight and obesity (with the exception of colorectal) have increased by seven percent, while those not associated with weight have decreased by 12 percent.

The 13 cancers associated with being overweight or obese include thyroid, liver, gallbladder, upper stomach, breast in post-menopausal women, pancreas, colorectal, ovarian, uterine, kidney, multiple myeloma, esophageal and meningioma.

More than half of Americans don’t know that the extra weight they are carrying around increases their risk of cancer.

“Obesity remains one of today’s most common and challenging health conditions,” says Jean-Marie Tyner, a nurse practitioner at Advocate Medical Group in Lexington, Ill. “The fact that over half of Americans are unaware of this demonstrates the need for patient education as an integral part of our intervention and treatment.”

The CDC encourages health care providers to counsel their patients on keeping a healthy weight and connecting them with community services that help with easier access to healthy foods.

“Efforts to assist Americans achieve a healthy weight and reduce their cancer risk extend past the clinic doors, however,” says Tyner. “(It) requires commitment from community, business and government leaders.”

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