Obesity linked to rise in 11 cancers among under-50s, new study finds
A BMJ Oncology study using England data (2001–2019) finds cancer rates rising in people aged 20–49, with obesity/BMI identified as a major driver for 11 cancers (thyroid, liver, kidney, colorectal, pancreatic, breast, ovarian, endometrial, oral, gallbladder, multiple myeloma). Obesity explains part of the rise (e.g., about 15% of bowel cancer in younger people; 40–50% when combined with other risk factors), but other causes remain, prompting calls for long-term research and stronger public health actions to curb obesity.