Obesity: 'Like the new smoking'

[Guest guest]

Two out of three adult Americans are at greater risk for getting

cancer<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/diseases-illnesses/cancer-HEDAI000001\

0.topic>—

and for

dying<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/physical-conditions/death-14023000.top\

ic>of

it — than they need to be. Not because of smog in their air or radon

in

their basements. Not because of tobacco in their

cigarettes<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/behavioral-conditions/tobacco-add\

iction-HEBEC000018.topic>or

mutations in their

genes<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/human-body/genes-chromosomes-HHA000024\

..topic>

..

No, the particular cancer risk shared by these 150 million or so Americans

comes from having too many calories in their diet and too little exercise in

their daily lives.

In other words, from being

overweight<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/physical-conditions/overweight-HE\

DAI0000052.topic>

..

Surprised?

It's widely known that simply being overweight, let alone obese,

dramatically increases the risk for high blood

pressure<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/physical-conditions/high-blood-pres\

sure-HEPHC0000023.topic>,

heart

attacks<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/physical-conditions/heart-attack-HEI\

SY000062.topic>,

strokes and

diabetes<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/diseases-illnesses/diabetes-HEDAI00\

00022.topic>.

But according to a 2009 survey by the American Institute for Cancer

Research, only about 50% of Americans know that size also matters when it

comes to cancer.

The risk is not trivial. The same institute estimates that every year about

100,000 Americans get a cancer they wouldn't have gotten if they had kept

their weight in check. And researchers have estimated that about 14% of

cancer deaths in men and 20% in women could be avoided by this same

restraint.

Obesity<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/physical-conditions/obesity-HEDAI000\

0057.topic>can

raise the risk for a number of major cancers —

colon <http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/human-body/colon-HHA000086.topic>,

postmenopausal

breast<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/human-body/breast-HHA00009.topic>,

endometrial, kidney and

esophageal<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/human-body/throat-HHA000058.topic\

>—

the National Cancer Institute says, and when paired with physical

inactivity, it can be held liable for 25% to 30% of cases of those cancers.

Obesity has also been linked to a number of other cancers, including

liver<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/human-body/liver-HHA000065.topic>,

gallbladder<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/human-body/gallbladder-HHA000088\

..topic>,

pancreatic and ovarian.

" Obesity is almost like the new smoking, " says Dr. Anne McTiernan, director

of the Prevention Center at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in

Seattle. " The effect isn't as big for most cancers, but it's so prevalent

that it will have a huge impact. "

Indeed, the National Cancer Institute estimates that smoking accounts for

37.5% cancer deaths in men and 22.8% in women. But smoking does most of its

dirty work in lung

cancer<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/diseases-illnesses/lung-cancer-HEDAI0\

000027.topic>victims.

When lung cancer is taken out of the picture, smoking can only be

blamed for 12% of cancer deaths in men and 6% in women — fewer than can be

chalked up to excess pounds.

No one knows for sure exactly how weight increases cancer risk, but it's

likely that it does so in multiple ways, with the precise mechanism

differing from cancer to cancer. High levels of

estrogen<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/human-body/estrogen-HHA000099.topic\

>,

insulin and inflammatory compounds are among the suspects that have been

implicated in research to date.

A more precise understanding of the biology behind all this may someday lead

to drugs that can mitigate the damage. In the meantime, of course, there's

an excellent way to avoid the obesity risk, and that's to never become obese

at all.

That would require major lifestyle changes for many of us, and making such

changes is exceedingly hard, says Dr. Glaspy, an

oncologist<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/medical-specialization/oncology-H\

EMSP00007.topic>at

UCLA<http://www.latimes.com/topic/education/colleges-universities/university-of-\

california-los-angeles-OREDU0000192268.topic>'s

Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. " Sure, we could make it a death penalty

offense to sell sugared drinks, " he says. But short of such extreme modes of

encouragement, a widespread thinning of America is not to be expected

anytime soon.

Not only is there strong evidence that if you're overweight, you're more

likely to die of cancer. It's also been shown that the more overweight you

are, the more deadly the trend gets, according to a landmark study published

in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2003.

Scientists at the American Cancer Society in Atlanta looked at cancer death

rates for men and women in five weight categories: healthy (body mass

index<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/body-mass-index-HEISY000072.topic>of

18.5 to 24.9); overweight (BMI, 25 to 29.9); and three levels beyond:

" obese " (BMI, 30 to 34.9), " very obese " (BMI, 35 to 39.9) and " very, very

obese " (BMI, 40 or more).

Compared with death rates for men and women of healthy weight, death rates

from all cancers lumped together as a group rose consistently along with

BMI: Rates were 52% higher for very, very obese men and 62% higher for very,

very obese women.

But weight doesn't affect all cancers equally. For some cancers the

researchers examined, such as

bladder<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/human-body/bladder-HHA000071.topic>c\

ancer,

weight had no significant effect on the death rate. At the other

extreme, the death rate from liver

cancer<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/diseases-illnesses/liver-cancer-HEDAI\

0000055.topic>was

350% higher for very obese men than for men of healthy weight (though

only 68% higher for very obese women than for women of healthy weight).

And the death rate from uterine (endometrial) cancer was 525% higher for

very, very obese women than for women of healthy weight.

How do those numbers stack up against other risks? Infection with the hepatitis

C<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/physical-conditions/hepatitis-HEPHC0000041\

..topic>

virus<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/diseases-illnesses/viral-diseases-infe\

ctions-HEDAI0000071.topic>increases

the death rate for liver cancer by 1,600%, which makes the 350%

increase from obesity sound pretty measly. But only about 1.5% of Americans

have a chronic hepatitis C virus infection, whereas about 30% are obese,

notes Karin, distinguished professor of pharmacology and pathology

at

UC<http://www.latimes.com/topic/education/colleges-universities/university-of-ca\

lifornia-OREDU0000192.topic>San

Diego. " So the overall contribution to liver cancer deaths from

obesity

far exceeds what hepatitis C infection does, " Karin says.

In other words, even when obesity is responsible for a fairly small increase

in the death rate for any particular cancer, it can affect many lives simply

because so many people are obese.

The only sure way to avoid raising your cancer risk from hefting extra

pounds is to maintain a healthy weight from the day you're born, says Dr.

Dimitrios Trichopoulos, professor of cancer prevention and epidemiology at

the Harvard School of Public Health. " The roots of cancer are early in life,

and overweight children frequently become overweight adults, " he says.

Unfortunately, for two-thirds of adult Americans, that ship has already

sailed — and is often pretty far out of port.

Logic suggests that losing

weight<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/physical-conditions/weight-loss-HEPHC\

0000055.topic>—

or at the very least not gaining any more — should help those people.

Oncologists and weight experts alike consider that a wise move because of

the overall health benefits it can provide. But there's insufficient

evidence to say for sure that holding the line on weight gain or even

dropping some pounds once you're an adult will necessarily lower cancer

risk. And conducting randomized clinical trials — the gold standard — to

establish this connection would be very difficult and very expensive.

Still, there are positive indications.

In some population studies, those who gained weight after a cancer diagnosis

were more likely to die or to have a recurrence of the cancer than were

those who did not gain weight.

And in a 2009 study, researchers found that women who had bariatric surgery

— so-called stomach stapling — not only reduced their size significantly but

also reduced the size of their cancer risk by 40%. On the other hand, men

who had the same surgery lost weight, but their cancer risk stayed put.

A clinical trial examining the effects of a low-fat

diet<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/diets-dieting/low-fat-diet-HEDI000010.t\

opic>on

breast

cancer<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/diseases-illnesses/breast-cancer-HEDA\

I0000012.topic>risk

may cast an indirect light on the effects of weight loss. In the

Women's Intervention Nutrition Study, published in 2006, researchers found

that when fat intake was dropped from 30% to 20% of total daily calorie

consumption for women who had previously been treated for breast cancer, the

risk of a recurrence of the cancer dropped too, by about 25% after five

years of follow-up. Perhaps significantly, over the same period, the women

on the low-fat diet lost an average of 6 pounds compared with those on their

regular diet.

" If the trial were testing a drug instead of a diet, we would call it a very

effective drug, " says Dr. ph Sparano, professor of medicine and women's

health<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/womens-health-HEPHC0000037.topic>at

Albert

Einstein<http://www.latimes.com/topic/science-technology/albert-einstein-PECLB00\

1542.topic>College

of Medicine and an oncologist at Montefiore Medical Center in

Bronx<http://www.latimes.com/topic/us/new-york/new-york-city/bronx-%28new-york-c\

ity%29-PLGEO100100801010000.topic>,

N.Y.

As scientists discover more about the ways that body fat acts to raise

someone's cancer risk, a day may come when people can simply pop a pill to

reduce that risk. Until then, their only real option is to be leaner, meaner

cancer-fighting machines.

Can they do it?

Some, pointing to the miserable diet-study statistics — and evolutionary

biology — have their doubts. " We're living in a world where fattening foods

are cheap and easy to come by — but our brains evolved in a world where

getting enough calories could be a tricky proposition, so if you could get

your

hands<http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/human-body/hands-HHA000026.topic>on

a big glob of fat, you'd better eat it, " UCLA's Glaspy says.

But others believe that cancer brings something special to the table. " It's

a big motivator, " says Klemp, associate director of the Breast

Cancer Survivorship Center at the University of Kansas Medical Center in

Westwood. " People are really scared of cancer. "

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-cancer-obesity-20110307,0,2785774.story?page\

=1

--

Ortiz, MS, RD

*The FRUGAL Dietitian* <http://www.thefrugaldietitian.com>

Check out my blog: mixture of deals and nutrition

New Giveaway: The Everything Mediterranean Diet Book: All you need to lose

weight and stay healthy! Ends:3/9 @

Noon<http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=16061>Made

my own " funny but real " movie: Me interviewing a " potential " Dietetic

student <

*Healthy Diet at any Age: We are NOT just looking

*

*at the years people have behind them but also the

*

*quality of the years ahead of them.*

[Guest guest]

It was so bad even the dogs would hide. Starting magnesium was like night and

day, much better then the pills the doc gave me to help me relax and sleep at

night. The hot flashes went away and let me tell you El Paso in the summer is

not where you want to have hot flashes. I no longer craved sugar. Everyone was

happier a week after I started, including me.

Jackie Chase RD

Dillingham AK

> I agree with Digna - if my husband doesn't know after 32+ years of marriage

> to stay away from me - then he deserves what he gets :-)

>

> On Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 4:30 PM, Vajda

wrote:

>

[Guest guest]

It was so bad even the dogs would hide. Starting magnesium was like night and

day, much better then the pills the doc gave me to help me relax and sleep at

night. The hot flashes went away and let me tell you El Paso in the summer is

not where you want to have hot flashes. I no longer craved sugar. Everyone was

happier a week after I started, including me.

Jackie Chase RD

Dillingham AK

> I agree with Digna - if my husband doesn't know after 32+ years of marriage

> to stay away from me - then he deserves what he gets :-)

>

> On Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 4:30 PM, Vajda

wrote:

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for sharing your story:)

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 9, 2011, at 10:56 PM, Jackie Chase

wrote:

> It was so bad even the dogs would hide. Starting magnesium was like

> night and day, much better then the pills the doc gave me to help me

> relax and sleep at night. The hot flashes went away and let me tell

> you El Paso in the summer is not where you want to have hot flashes.

> I no longer craved sugar. Everyone was happier a week after I

> started, including me.

>

> Jackie Chase RD

> Dillingham AK

>

>

>

> > I agree with Digna - if my husband doesn't know after 32+ years of

> marriage

> > to stay away from me - then he deserves what he gets :-)

> >

> > On Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 4:30 PM, Vajda <jennyvajda@...

> >wrote:

> >

>

>

[Guest guest]

Jackie, what was/is your dose? I am starting perimenopause and the hot flashes

are starting.......

Thanks,

Cece

---- Original message ----

>Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2011 18:56:00 -0900

>From: rd-usa (on behalf of Jackie Chase

)

>Subject: Re: Obesity: 'Like the new smoking'

>To: rd-usa

>

>

>

> It was so bad even the dogs would hide. Starting

> magnesium was like night and day, much better then

> the pills the doc gave me to help me relax and sleep

> at night. The hot flashes went away and let me tell

> you El Paso in the summer is not where you want to

> have hot flashes. I no longer craved sugar. Everyone

> was happier a week after I started, including me.

>

> Jackie Chase RD

> Dillingham AK

>

>

>

> > I agree with Digna - if my husband doesn't know

> after 32+ years of marriage

> > to stay away from me - then he deserves what he

> gets :-)

> >

> > On Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 4:30 PM, Vajda

> wrote:

> >

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

This message is intended for the use of the addressee only and may contain

information that is privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended

recipient of this message, be notified that any dissemination or use of this

message is strictly prohibited. Un-intended transmission does not constitute

waiver of attorney-client privilege or any other privilege. If you have

received this message in error, please delete all copies of the message and its

attachments and notify the sender immediately. Thank you.

[Guest guest]

Which is below the TUL of 350 mg/day. Wise move.

Ro

From: ekvallr@...

Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2011 10:15 AM

To: rd-usa

Subject: Re: Obesity: 'Like the new smoking'

In a message dated 3/9/2011 4:34:39 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

mailto:nrord1%40gmail.com writes:

> >

I agree with Dr Seelig. Mg reduces extra systoles, heart beats. too! I

take 250 mg of Mg per day.

Shirley Ekvall Ph.D.,RD,LD

[Guest guest]

Sorry for the late reply I am taking a college course. May have bitten off a

little to much with this course. Anyway I am taking 225-300 mg magnesium citrate

per day depending on the brand. It took 48 hours for results when I started

about a full month for all the hot flashes to go away. My husband and dogs where

much happier after two days then they had been in a long while. Even now if I

stop taking it for any length of time Rob starts asking if I have ben taking my

magnesium so I must have a ongoing need for it.

Jackie Chase RD

Dillingham AK

> Jackie, what was/is your dose? I am starting perimenopause and the hot flashes

are starting.......

> Thanks,

> Cece

>

> ---- Original message ----

> >Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2011 18:56:00 -0900

> >From: rd-usa (on behalf of Jackie Chase

)

> >Subject: Re: Obesity: 'Like the new smoking'

> >To: rd-usa

> >

> >

> >

> > It was so bad even the dogs would hide. Starting

> > magnesium was like night and day, much better then

> > the pills the doc gave me to help me relax and sleep

> > at night. The hot flashes went away and let me tell

> > you El Paso in the summer is not where you want to

> > have hot flashes. I no longer craved sugar. Everyone

> > was happier a week after I started, including me.

> >

> > Jackie Chase RD

> > Dillingham AK

> >

> >

> >

> > > I agree with Digna - if my husband doesn't know

> > after 32+ years of marriage

> > > to stay away from me - then he deserves what he

> > gets :-)

> > >

> > > On Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 4:30 PM, Vajda

> > wrote:

> > >

> >

> > [Non-text portions of this message have been

> > removed]

> >

> >

> This message is intended for the use of the addressee only and may contain

information that is privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended

recipient of this message, be notified that any dissemination or use of this

message is strictly prohibited. Un-intended transmission does not constitute

waiver of attorney-client privilege or any other privilege. If you have received

this message in error, please delete all copies of the message and its

attachments and notify the sender immediately. Thank you.

>

[Guest guest]

Sorry for the late reply I am taking a college course. May have bitten off a

little to much with this course. Anyway I am taking 225-300 mg magnesium citrate

per day depending on the brand. It took 48 hours for results when I started

about a full month for all the hot flashes to go away. My husband and dogs where

much happier after two days then they had been in a long while. Even now if I

stop taking it for any length of time Rob starts asking if I have ben taking my

magnesium so I must have a ongoing need for it.

Jackie Chase RD

Dillingham AK

> Jackie, what was/is your dose? I am starting perimenopause and the hot flashes

are starting.......

> Thanks,

> Cece

>

> ---- Original message ----

> >Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2011 18:56:00 -0900

> >From: rd-usa (on behalf of Jackie Chase

)

> >Subject: Re: Obesity: 'Like the new smoking'

> >To: rd-usa

> >

> >

> >

> > It was so bad even the dogs would hide. Starting

> > magnesium was like night and day, much better then

> > the pills the doc gave me to help me relax and sleep

> > at night. The hot flashes went away and let me tell

> > you El Paso in the summer is not where you want to

> > have hot flashes. I no longer craved sugar. Everyone

> > was happier a week after I started, including me.

> >

> > Jackie Chase RD

> > Dillingham AK

> >

> >

> >

> > > I agree with Digna - if my husband doesn't know

> > after 32+ years of marriage

> > > to stay away from me - then he deserves what he

> > gets :-)

> > >

> > > On Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 4:30 PM, Vajda

> > wrote:

> > >

> >

> > [Non-text portions of this message have been

> > removed]

> >

> >

> This message is intended for the use of the addressee only and may contain

information that is privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended

recipient of this message, be notified that any dissemination or use of this

message is strictly prohibited. Un-intended transmission does not constitute

waiver of attorney-client privilege or any other privilege. If you have received

this message in error, please delete all copies of the message and its

attachments and notify the sender immediately. Thank you.

>

[Guest guest]

Sorry for the late reply I am taking a college course. May have bitten off a

little to much with this course. Anyway I am taking 225-300 mg magnesium citrate

per day depending on the brand. It took 48 hours for results when I started

about a full month for all the hot flashes to go away. My husband and dogs where

much happier after two days then they had been in a long while. Even now if I

stop taking it for any length of time Rob starts asking if I have ben taking my

magnesium so I must have a ongoing need for it.

Jackie Chase RD

Dillingham AK

> Jackie, what was/is your dose? I am starting perimenopause and the hot flashes

are starting.......

> Thanks,

> Cece

>

> ---- Original message ----

> >Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2011 18:56:00 -0900

> >From: rd-usa (on behalf of Jackie Chase

)

> >Subject: Re: Obesity: 'Like the new smoking'

> >To: rd-usa

> >

> >

> >

> > It was so bad even the dogs would hide. Starting

> > magnesium was like night and day, much better then

> > the pills the doc gave me to help me relax and sleep

> > at night. The hot flashes went away and let me tell

> > you El Paso in the summer is not where you want to

> > have hot flashes. I no longer craved sugar. Everyone

> > was happier a week after I started, including me.

> >

> > Jackie Chase RD

> > Dillingham AK

> >

> >

> >

> > > I agree with Digna - if my husband doesn't know

> > after 32+ years of marriage

> > > to stay away from me - then he deserves what he

> > gets :-)

> > >

> > > On Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 4:30 PM, Vajda

> > wrote:

> > >

> >

> > [Non-text portions of this message have been

> > removed]

> >

> >

> This message is intended for the use of the addressee only and may contain

information that is privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended

recipient of this message, be notified that any dissemination or use of this

message is strictly prohibited. Un-intended transmission does not constitute

waiver of attorney-client privilege or any other privilege. If you have received

this message in error, please delete all copies of the message and its

attachments and notify the sender immediately. Thank you.

>