Implementing an intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) aimed at weight loss can attenuate the risk of obesity-related cancers in adults who are overweight, obesity, or have type 2 diabetes, according to the findings of a study published in Obesity.
In this study, researchers evaluated 4,859 participants who had not reported a cancer diagnosis at baseline (except for nonmelanoma cancer). The population of interest were required to meet the following criteria: 45 to 76 years of age, body mass index greater than 25, glycated hemoglobin less than 11 percent, blood pressure readings less than 160/100 mm Hg, triglyceride levels less than 600 mg/dL and completion of a maximal graded exercise test. The researchers arbitrarily assigned to an ILI or a DSE by a web-based data management system between August 22, 2001 and April 30, 2004.
According to the results, following an average follow-up of 11 years, 684 participants (332 in ILI and 352 in DSE) were diagnosed with cancer. The researchers observed an incidence rate of obesity-related cancers were 6.1 and 7.3 per 1,000 person-years in ILI and DSE, respectively, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.84 (95 CI, 0.68 to 1.04). They observed no notable difference between the two groups in total cancer incidence (HR=0.93, 95% CI, 0.80 to 1.08), incidence of non-obesity related cancers (HR=1.02, 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.27) or total cancer mortality (HR=0.92, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.25).
While underpowered to detect significant differences, this analysis of Look AHEAD data is an important contribution, as it is one of the first studies to provide empirical data to suggest that a weight loss-focused lifestyle intervention can help to lower risk of obesity-related cancers, said Tiffany L. Carson, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham. Carson was not associated with the research via a press release about the study.
Carson added in addition to having adequate sample sizes to test for effects which will likely require pooled data, future studies should also explore the magnitude of weight loss that is needed to lower risk for obesity-associated cancers.
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Weight Loss Intervention Reduces the Risk of Obesity-Related Cancer - DocWire News
