| In case you needed more of a reason to keep an | | | | will be. |
| eye on your weight, recent research has found that, | | | | "We know that women who are overweight at the |
| in general, obesity is linked to cancer. For obese | | | | time of breast cancer diagnosis have a higher risk of |
| women, especially those who have gone through | | | | recurrence than lean women, but the reasons for this |
| menopause, this means an increased risk of breast | | | | are not clear," says Dr. Jennifer A. Ligibel of the |
| cancer. Though experts can't yet explain to us why | | | | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. "Recent |
| the link is there, they are working hard to figure it all | | | | evidence suggests that high insulin levels, which are |
| out. | | | | common in overweight women, may be involved in |
| What we do know is that the higher your Body Mass | | | | the increased risk of breast cancer recurrence." |
| Index (BMI) the measurement of your weight against | | | | Debbie Saslow, director of breast and gynecologic |
| your height squared, the more chance you have of | | | | cancer at the American Cancer Society, points out |
| developing cancer. This was confirmed by an | | | | that it's not completely clear what role obesity plays |
| extensive data review of 140 studies by scientists at | | | | in breast cancer risk. According to ACS numbers, |
| the University of Manchester in England earlier this | | | | about 182,500 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed |
| year. Other work had found the same links between | | | | with invasive breast cancer during 2008. Right now |
| cancers and more body fat, and in 2007 a report | | | | there are almost 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in |
| issued by the American Institute of Cancer Research | | | | the United States. |
| and the U.K.-based World Cancer Research Fund | | | | In all this doom and gloom, there is some rather |
| concluded that body fat is associated with an | | | | encouraging news. Studies have shown that exercise |
| increased risk for several different types of cancer. | | | | - 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-to-high intensity |
| If that wasn't enough a recent study at the | | | | activity each day - cuts breast cancer risk according |
| University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, | | | | to Colleen Doyle, director of nutrition and physical |
| found more than two-thirds of women with stage III | | | | activity at the American Cancer Society. You don't |
| locally advanced breast cancer were overweight | | | | have to go from no workout to a full hour of high |
| (32%) or obese (34%). The research also found that | | | | intensity activity in one leap - in fact, if you're really |
| a greater number of obese patients were likely to be | | | | out of shape and very sedentary, talk with your |
| diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer - a rare | | | | doctor first, before you start getting more active. |
| and more deadly form of this type of cancer. | | | | Once you get the okay, adding activities like walking |
| The extra weight increases your risks, and brings | | | | is a great way to get started. Build your routine, both |
| other problems too. It's harder to spot tumors (or | | | | in time and intensity slowly, over weeks or months, |
| recurrences) early, and women who are overweight | | | | until you are able to do the 30 minutes |
| or obese are known to avoid checkups altogether. | | | | recommended. Not only will you notice that you're |
| Once a cancer has been spotted, the added weight | | | | feeling better... stronger and more confident, but you'll |
| can cause problems figuring the best chemotherapy | | | | be doing one of the best things you can to lower |
| dose - plus the more weight the more medicine that | | | | your risk of breast cancer and give yourself many |
| must be used, and the more intense any side effects | | | | healthy, happy years. |