Nearly 1 in 5 Deaths are Caused by Obesity

A new research study finds that obesity causes nearly one in five deaths in the United States.

NEARLY 1 IN 5 DEATHS ARE CAUSED BY OBESITY

As I discuss in my book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, obesity is an underappreciated risk factor for cancer, as nearly 10 percent of all cancer cases, including some of the deadliest forms of cancer, are directly linked to obesity.  Being overweight or obese has also been linked to an increased risk of other serious illnesses, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, among others.

Now, a newly published public health study strongly suggests that premature death caused by excessive body weight may be much more common than previously thought.  This new study appears in the American Journal of Public Health.

Following the largest analysis of national death records and national health surveys ever performed in the United States, the contribution of obesity to annual death rates between 1986 and 2006 was calculated.

Based upon the findings of this study, being overweight or obese accounted for 5 percent of deaths among black men and 16 percent of deaths among white men, and being overweight or obese accounted for a whopping 27 percent of deaths among black women and 22 percent of deaths among white women!

Importantly, this public health study finds that the contribution of obesity to death rates in the United States appears to be significantly greater (nearly 4 times greater!) than prior estimates based upon less comprehensive public health studies.

The findings of this important public health study suggest that obesity may be a much greater public health problem than was previously appreciated, and that more effective strategies to reduce the epidemic of obesity should be considered and implemented.

For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my bestselling book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores!

Within one week of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books. Within three months of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list.

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According to recent Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for veterans who served on active duty between September 2001 and December 2011 is more than 12 percent.  A new website, Veterans in Healthcare, seeks to connect veterans with potential employers.  If you are a veteran who works in the healthcare field, or if you are an employer who is looking for physicians, advanced practice professionals, nurses, corpsmen/medics, or other healthcare professionals, then please take a look at Veterans in Healthcare. As a retired veteran of the U.S. Army, I would also like to personally urge you to hire a veteran whenever possible.

Disclaimer:  As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity

Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author