Among people of Asian descent, having a body mass index (BMI) between 25.0 and 27.5 is linked to a 9% higher rate of developing colorectal cancer compared to those with a BMI between 23.0 and 25.0.

Asian adults with a BMI above 30 have a 32% higher chance of developing colorectal cancer than those with a BMI between 23.0 and 25.0, based on long-term population data.

In Asian men, having a BMI over 30 is linked to an 87% higher chance of dying from colorectal cancer compared to having a BMI between 23 and 25. This link is not seen in Asian women, suggesting the relationship between body weight and colorectal cancer death differs by sex.

People with obesity have a higher chance of developing colorectal cancer compared to those without obesity, with men showing a greater increase in risk than women.

People who have been overweight or obese for many years have a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer than those whose weight changed recently, with the highest risk linked to weight measured 8 to 12 years before diagnosis.

People who had a high body mass index (BMI) 8 to 12 years before being diagnosed with colorectal cancer were more than twice as likely to develop the disease compared to those with a normal BMI, suggesting that carrying excess weight over a long period increases risk, even if weight drops shortly before diagnosis.