Med. praxi. 2012;9(11):451-455

Obesity as risk factor of colorectal cancer

MUDr.Peter Minárik¹, PharmDr.Daniela Mináriková, PhD.²

¹ Gastroenterologické oddelenie, Onkologický ústav sv. Alžbety, s. r. o., Bratislava

² Katedra organizácie a riadenia farmácie, Farmaceutická Fakulta UK, Bratislava

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the 3rd most frequent type of cancer worldwide. The incidence of CRC has been rising with rising level of industrialization

and it is higher in all economically well developed countries. The formation of CRC highly depends from lifestyle factors, mainly

from food, nutrition and physical activity. Excessive body fat reserves and abdominal fat quantity are leading to obesity, respectively to

visceral obesity, which is often associated with hyperinsulinemia and metabolic syndrome. In recent years there has been collected

enough scientific evidence that obesity and visceral obesity are risk factors of CRC, and also of 6 other cancers (esophagus, pancreas,

gallbladder, kidneys, breast in postmenopausal women, and endometrium). Several concrete mechanisms which contribute to the

development and progression of CRC have been well known up to now. Healthy food, optimum nutrition and systematic physical activity

are able to prevent unwanted weight gain and development of excessive body fat and abdominal fat stores. Lifestyle factors and

optimal body weight are considered to be the most important preventable factors of CRC, and also of other cancers, as well as of the

cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

Keywords: obesity, colorectal cancer, CRC, risk factors, prevention

Published: December 1, 2012  Show citation