Cancer deaths linked to obesity have tripled in the United States over the past two decades (1999 to 2020), according to a major study presented at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting. The research analyzed over 33,000 deaths attributed to obesity-associated cancers and highlights alarming increases, especially among women, older adults, Black Americans, Native Americans, and those living in rural areas.
Dr. Faizan Ahmed, the study’s lead author, emphasized that obesity is a significant and growing risk factor for cancer-related mortality. He called for targeted public health strategies, including earlier cancer screening and better access to care in vulnerable communities.
According to the CDC, 40.3% of American adults are obese, a condition driven by a complex mix of genetic, hormonal, environmental, and physiological factors. Obesity not only raises the risk for chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, but also contributes to 13 specific types of cancer, including:
- Breast (postmenopausal)
- Colon and rectum
- Uterus
- Liver
- Kidney
- Pancreas
- Thyroid
- Esophagus (adenocarcinoma)
- Gallbladder
- Upper stomach
- Ovary
- Meningioma (brain cancer)
- Multiple myeloma
The study used CDC mortality data to show that age-adjusted death rates from these cancers rose from 3.73 to 13.52 per million over two decades.
Regional findings:
- Highest obesity-related cancer death rates: Midwest region
- Lowest: Northeast region
- States with highest rates: Vermont, Minnesota, Oklahoma
- Lowest rates: Utah, Alabama, Virginia
Obesity is a killer!It is time to wake up and accept the reality that obesity is a killer! Lifestyle behaviors impact the development of cancer in the first place and ultimately on the survival from cancer. Primary care physicians need to keep emphasizing this simple fact. At Cancer Fitness, we will continue to emphasize the importance of an anti-inflammatory diet combined with regular moderate-intensity exercise as tools for both cancer prevention and improved long-term cancer survival. How much more data do we need to prove these facts? Very little! At Cancer Fitness we will continue to provide you with all the data you need to live a healthier and longer life.
