Obesity endangers our health: the risk of cancer increases dramatically!

Obesity endangers our health: the risk of cancer increases dramatically!

On May 13, 2025, the University of Regensburg published a groundbreaking study pointing to the alarming connections between obesity and cancer risk. This comprehensive research analyzed data from over 450,000 adults from the UK Biobank and the results show a significant increased risk of cancer, even in people classified as 'preclinically obese'. This means that the excess fat exists before detectable metabolic or organ functional disorders occur. It is estimated that preclinical obesity accounts for 5.5% of obesity-associated cancer cases, while clinical obesity associated with organ dysfunction accounts for 4.3%. These findings highlight the need for a differentiated classification of obesity that goes beyond simple BMI values, which cannot provide any information about actual organ function.

Prof. Michael Leitzmann, lead author of the study, emphasizes that this distinction is crucial in order to identify people at risk at an early stage and to take targeted preventive measures. The results also support the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology Commission's recommendations for integrating metabolic health parameters into routine care. This new perspective could significantly contribute to reducing the cancer burden associated with obesity by focusing on prevention and supporting policy measures to combat obesity.

Global dimensions of obesity

This new study falls into a larger context reinforced by recent reports from the World Health Organization (WHO). Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, the WHO Regional Director for Europe, recently stated that no country in Europe and Central Asia will meet the WHO target for reducing obesity rates. In the European Region, 63% of men and 54% of women are already overweight or obese. Obesity is increasingly viewed as a complex, multifactorial disease, linked not only to cancer but also to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

The WHO estimates that overweight and obesity are responsible for over 1.3 million deaths annually worldwide. A worrying trend is that obesity may overtake smoking as the leading cause of preventable cancer in some countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the situation as people with obesity suffered more complications and deaths from the virus. The increased levels of sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diets during the pandemic have exacerbated these issues.

Need for action and prevention strategies

WHO emphasizes the need for a comprehensive package of interventions to combat obesity. A single action plan is not enough. Important measures include restricting the marketing of unhealthy foods to children and taxing sugary drinks. These policy initiatives must go hand in hand with improved health system structure to effectively enforce obesity control doctrine.

Given the alarming statistics and profound health consequences for both individuals and society as a whole, the recent study from the University of Regensburg could serve as a catalyst for broader discussion and action to combat obesity. With a differentiated view of obesity and an emphasis on metabolic health, the foundation for a sustainable health strategy could be laid.