May 2022: According to study findings published February 1 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, overweight or obese adults who lose more than 5 pounds over five years have a 46 percent lower risk of developing precancerous colon polyps, which are benign growths in the colon or rectum that can lead to colorectal cancer.
From 1993 to 2001, researchers examined the relationship between weight change and colon and rectal polyps in 18,588 men and women who took part in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening study. People who have self-reported their weight three times during the course of their lives were included in the study. The case group included 1,053 people who acquired polyps three to five years into the study, while the control group included those who did not. Those who dropped weight throughout early to late adulthood had a much lower risk of having polyps than those who maintained their weight, especially if they were initially overweight (had a BMI of more than 25). People who gained weight during the trial, on the other hand, had a 1.3 times higher risk of getting polyps. In comparison to women, the link appeared to be stronger in men.
Researchers have discovered for the first time that limiting weight gain during adulthood lowers the risk of acquiring precancerous growths that can lead to colorectal cancer. The advantages appear to be linked to being overweight or obese.
