Obesity, inactivity tied to pancreatic cancer: Study

Obesity and inactivity may significantly increase the risk of cancer of the pancreas, a study found.

The findings indicate that lifestyle changes might help decrease risk and they bolster evidence that the disease is linked to abnormal insulin production and diabetes, the researchers said.
The study by researchers at Harvard's school of public health and affiliated hospitals is based on data from two general health studies involving over 150,000 female nurses and male health workers followed for up to 20 years.

The findings appear in Wednesday’s journal of the American Medical Association. Obesity and inactivity have been linked to numerous health problems, including other types of cancer.
Until now, cigarette smoking was the only convincing modifiable risk factor linked to pancreatic cancer, Dr Susan Gapstur and Dr Peter Gann of Northwestern University said in an accompanying commentary. If additional research confirms findings, there could be a profound impact on public health.

Bureau Report