By IANS
Melbourne : People with excess body weight not only face the risk of developing health disorders like cardiovascular disease and diabetes, they are also likely to face the risk of developing cancer, a new study says.
Conducted over 17 years, the study – by researchers at the Cancer Council of Victoria in Australia – looked into the health of 41,000 people.
It found that a waist measurement of more than 100 centimetres for men and 85 for women significantly increases cancer risk.
The Cancer Council suggests that people measure their waist and look at implementing changes to reduce their cancer risk if they have the above waist measurements.
Weight gain occurs when the energy you take into your body exceeds the energy your body uses. If you are overweight, you may be eating more than you need for your level of activity.
To help reduce the risk, the council recommends that people eat a balanced diet.
"Replace fatty foods with lots of fruit and vegetables and a variety of wholegrain cereals, breads and pastas and non-fat or reduced fat milk and dairy products," says the report in the council's website.
"It is recommended that adults eat five servings of vegetables and two of fruit a day for good health and to reduce the risk," it added.
Depending on your age and gender, it is recommended that adults should eat at least four serves of bread and/or cereals. Include lean meat, fish, poultry, but limit, or eliminate altogether, processed meats like ham, bacon, sausages and salami, it said.
Council member David Hill said most people do not even think about weight as an issue when it comes to cancer.