Why we need to keep talking about weight and its role in cancer prevention

We, as general practice nurses (GPNs), play an important role in prevention and must make every contact count to educate our patients and help them be healthier. When it comes to weight, people who are obese now outnumber people who smoke two to one in the UK.¹

Obesity, like smoking, puts millions of adults at greater risk of cancer. In fact, 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.² Being overweight or obese increases the risk of 13 types of cancer, including two of the most common types of cancer – breast and bowel cancers - and three of the hardest to treat – pancreatic, oesophageal and gallbladder cancers.³ The risk is higher the more weight someone gains and the longer they are overweight for^{4, 5} however research so far suggests that losing weight can help reduce cancer risk.^{6, 7}