There’s no question that obesity is terrible for health. And one of the worst impacts it has is on cancer risk.

Obesity is linked to an increased risk of more than a dozen types of cancer, and it’s also shown to worsen prognosis and survival rates. The metabolic changes and chronic inflammation associated with obesity help create a more cancer-friendly environment within the body, including one that allows cancer cells to win the battle for fuel against tumor-killing immune cells.

One study found that obesity increases the release of harmful molecules from fat tissue, which is a factor in increased breast cancer risk. Another showed that fat — particularly belly fat — releases a protein that can turn non-cancerous cells cancerous.

So, how can we lower this risk? The answer seems obvious: reverse the obesity. However, losing enough weight to no longer be considered obese can take months or even years. Isn’t there anything people with obesity can do in the meantime?

Yes, it turns out…

The diet that fights what fuels cancer

Researchers examined data from 450,111 participants in the 2017 European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study, which enrolled participants ages 35 to 70 from across Europe. The average age of participants was 51 years, and 29% were men. They had an average body mass index (BMI) of 25.3 and a mean waist-to-hip ratio of 0.8.

The study measured everyone’s adherence to the Mediterranean diet on a nine-point scale. About one-quarter (26%) had high adherence of seven to nine points, 39% had medium adherence of four to six points, and 34% had low adherence of zero to three points.

On first glance, the results appeared relatively modest. Adjusted analyses showed that people with the highest adherence to the Mediterranean diet had a 6% lower risk for obesity-related cancers compared with those who had the lowest adherence.

However, when looking at site-specific obesity-related cancers such as colorectal, liver and kidney cancers, high adherence was linked with up to a whopping 48% lower risk.

Medium adherence to the Mediterranean diet was also associated with significantly lower risks for colorectal, kidney and liver cancers, along with a lower risk of esophageal cancer.

No associations were reported for hormone-related cancers in women, including postmenopausal breast cancer, endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer.

Those with the highest Mediterranean diet adherence tended to be younger. They also were more likely to have never smoked, were less physically active and had a higher energy (caloric) intake.

Interestingly, the reduction in risk of obesity-related cancer was greater in current and former smokers. Also, people who drank only a moderate amount of alcohol and had a lower meat intake tended to have a reduced risk of obesity-related cancer.

All the right foods to prevent disease

The researchers suggest that the cancer protection offered by the Mediterranean diet may be spurred by improvements in metabolic and inflammatory markers associated with the diet, such as fasting blood glucose and C-reactive protein. In addition, higher fiber intake may counteract carcinogenic compounds from processed meats and harmful foods.

“The potential benefits of the Mediterranean diet for cancer prevention may be from interactions and synergistic effects among its various components, collectively enhancing health benefits beyond those observed for individual foods alone,” the authors write in the study.

The fact that this is a large-scale study gives weight to the idea that adopting a Mediterranean diet may go a long way toward defending against obesity-related cancers, particularly those site-specific cancers mentioned in the study.

So, if you have obesity, where should you start? The Mediterranean diet emphasizes consumption of fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts and whole grains, as well as judicious intake of lean meats, low-fat dairy and olive oil. Survey your diet and see how closely it matches these parameters. If you’re using olive oil for cooking and consuming lots of fruits and vegetables, you’re already well on your way to a Mediterranean eating style.

If your diet trends more toward ultra-processed foods focus on changing one meal a day to something more in the Mediterranean realm. For instance, you could replace that lunchtime sandwich loaded with processed deli meat with an olive oil-dressed salad containing a healthy portion of tuna or salmon.

Sources:

Top Diet Linked to Lower Risk of Multiple Cancers — MedPage Today

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Obesity-Linked Cancer Risk in EPIC — JAMA Network Open