Cancer fear fails to deter weight gain

Monday June 25th, 2012

Fear of cancer does little to help motivate overweight Britons to shed their fat, campaigners warn today.

Instead people who are too heavy say their problem is "lack of willpower" to take the steps to reduce their weight.

Willpower is a problem for women most of all, according to a Cancer Research UK study.

It found that 68 per cent of women said they lacked the will to shed pounds - compared with 60 per cent of men.

The survey, conducted by pollsters YouGov, found that 87 per cent of those classed as overweight want to lose weight - but lack of willpower was the biggest problem.

Lack of success and other concerns also played part. The study found that 60 per cent wanted to increase the amount of fruit and vegetables they consumed while 70 per cent wanted to increase their exercise rates.

Researcher Professor Jane Wardle, of University College London, said the temptations of fast food and ready-made meals might play a part in sapping willpower.

She said: "For both men and women being overweight is, after smoking, the most important risk factor for cancer. What many people don’t realise is that extra fat around the middle – their ‘muffin top’ – is surprisingly active, releasing hormones and other chemicals that can make cells in the body divide far more often than usual, which can increase the risk of cancer."

Dr Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “Unless we tackle the obesity epidemic in the UK we risk cancer cases soaring.

"We understand that it can be extremely hard for people to maintain a healthy weight but keeping those extra pounds at bay could ultimately save your life.”

Tags: Cancer | Diet & Food | Fitness | UK News

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