English women are carrying ever-expanding waistlines – and are fatter than men, campaigners warned yesterday.
As many as 44 per cent of women are too plump around the middle, according to the World Cancer Research Fund.
It said British women may have a bigger problem than the nation’s men – in spite of their reputation for sporting beer bellies. Just 32 per cent of men have a waist of 37 inches or larger – while 44 per cent of women have waists larger than 31.5 inches.
It said "apple-shaped" women face an increased risk of developing cancers of the breast, endometrium – the lining of the womb – and breast, as well as the bowel and pancreas.
The charity obtained the figures from the Health Survey for England, published earlier this month.
Dr Rachel Thompson, of the WCRF, said: "We tend to think that men are more likely to put weight on their stomach. But these statistics show that, actually, women in England are more likely to have a raised waist circumference than men.
"This is why it is important that we let women know that this is just as relevant for them, particularly as breast and endometrial cancers account for about a third of newly diagnosed cancers in women.
"If you have a large waist measurement or are in the overweight or obese range, then you can take steps to move towards a healthy weight.
"Over the last few years the evidence has become increasingly strong that excess body fat, and particularly fat carried around the middle, is a cancer risk factor."
Leave a Reply