The team looked at almost 90,000 women between the ages of 40 and 59 over a period of 10.6 years.

The median body mass index ranged from 22.5 for non-obese women to 26.8 for pre-obese women and 32.8 for obese subjects.

During the study, 363 women were diagnosed with colon cancer and 164 with rectal cancer at the respective average ages of 59 and 58 years.

The researchers from New York and Heidelberg found no link between obesity in postmenopausal women and colorectal cancer. They comment, “If anything, there was a tendency towards a small to moderate decreased risk among obese postmenopausal women, particularly for colon cancer.”

However, they discovered that subjects who had not yet started the menopause had twice the chance of developing the disease.

The association was strongest for cancers of the distal colon but was also evident for cancers of the rectum and proximal colon.

The study’s authors say that their research adds to a growing body of evidence that obesity and cancer are linked in premenopausal women.

“Overall, these studies suggest that among premenopausal women the positive association between obesity and colorectal cancer risk may be as strong and consistent as that which has been observed previously among men.”

And they add, “Given the relatively high incidence of colorectal cancer in Western populations and the rising prevalence of obesity, especially in younger age groups, the possible benefits with respect to this disease should be added to the list of potential advantages of weight control.”

Reference: Terry et al, Gut; 51: 191-194

© Health Media Ltd 2002
http://www.health-news.co.uk