Waist size may determine cancer risk, study says – how to measure yours and danger threshold revealed
THE size of a person’s waist may provide a clue to their likelihood of developing cancer, a new study reveals.
It found both men and women carrying excess weight around the waistline increased their risk of developing a form of the disease by 11 per cent – even if they exercised.
Similarly, people not achieving the UN organisation’s guidelines for exercise had a four per cent increased risk of cancer, even if they were lean around the waist.
The risk begins when a waist measurement gets over 102cm (40in) for men and 88cm (35in) for women, which are the recommended limits set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The WHO recommends 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise a week, or 75-150 minutes of vigorous exercise, or a mix of both.
Moderate activities include brisk walking, heavy cleaning, cycling, and badminton.
Vigorous activities include hiking, jogging, shovelling, fast cycling, football, basketball, and tennis.
It’s thought that the link could be due to excess body fat affecting hormone levels, raising oestrogen and testosterone, increasing insulin, and causing inflammation.
Each of these factors has been linked to an increased chance of developing cancer.
The study, involving more than 315,000 people, is one of the largest to investigate how both waist size and exercise combine to lower the likelihood of cancer.
Researchers from the University of Regensburg in Germany studied people who met the WHO’s waist circumference or exercise guidelines, comparing them to those who did not.
During an average follow-up of 11 years, almost 30,000 people in the study developed cancer.
The study essentially found that those who have a larger waist have a risk of cancer even if they exercise – and even if their waist was smalll, they had an increased risk of cancer if they did not exercise.
Not keeping to either guideline increased people’s risk of cancer by 15 per cent.
Previous studies have shown that exercise and a healthy diet full of fruit and vegetables slashes people’s risk of developing the disease.
Writing in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the team said: “Adherence to both WHO guidelines for waist circumference and physical activity is essential for cancer prevention; meeting just one of these guidelines is insufficient.”
The latest data from NHS Digital shows that 28 per cent of adults in England are obese, and 36 per cent are overweight, with rates of excess weight remaining high in recent years.
The highest obesity rates are found in the northeast, while the lowest are in London.
‘Small, sustainable changes’
Dr Helen Croker, assistant director of research and policy at the World Cancer Research Fund that funded the research, said: “These findings underscore the importance of a holistic lifestyle approach instead of focusing on a single factor to reduce cancer risk.
“Maintaining a healthy weight and, in particular, having a waist circumference within the recommended level and being physically active, along with eating a healthy diet, are all crucial steps to reduce cancer risk.
“People can start by making small, sustainable changes like incorporating regular movement into daily routines or choosing healthier food options.
“These gradual adjustments can add up to a big difference over time.”
How to measure your waist
To get an accurate waist measurement, you should only measure it in the morning, before you’ve had your first meal.
Start by standing up straight, taking a few deep breaths in and out, and then relax.
Find the top of your hip bone and the bottom of your ribcage, then measure around the part of your waist in between.
Make sure the tape is snug but not tight, and keep it level around your body.
Breathe out normally, and check the measurement then.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended levels for waist circumference – defined as less than 88cm (35ins) for women and 102cm (40ins) for men.
Source: WHO