The Study
Overweight and obesity significantly increase colorectal cancer risk: a meta-analysis of 66 studies revealing a 25–57% elevation in risk
This study looked at lots of people over time and found that those who were overweight or obese were more likely to get colon cancer. But it didn’t make people gain weight to test it—it just watched what happened. So we know there’s a link, but we can’t say being overweight definitely causes cancer.
Analysis score
Maximum 85 for a systematic review with meta-analysis.
Where the score came from
This study looked at lots of people over many years to see if being overweight makes you more likely to get colon cancer.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 539 / 100
Quality score
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of cohort studies. They sit above a single cohort study but below a single randomized trial, because the underlying evidence is still observational.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — a 36% higher risk means for every 100 people with normal weight who get colon cancer, about 136 people with obesity would get it, making it a meaningful public health concern.
- 2People with obesity had a 36% higher chance of getting colon cancer.
- 3Men with obesity had a 57% higher chance, women had a 25% higher chance.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
GeroScience
Year
2024
Authors
Z. Ungvari, M. Fekete, P. Varga, Andrea Lehoczki, J. Fekete, Anna Ungvari, B. Győrffy
Related Content
Claims (6)
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.
Adults with obesity have a higher likelihood of developing colorectal cancer compared to those without obesity, based on data from millions of people across multiple studies.
Adult men with obesity are more likely to develop colorectal cancer than men with normal weight, and adult women with obesity are also more likely to develop colorectal cancer than women with normal weight, according to data from multiple population studies.
Research using case-control studies found that obesity is not strongly linked to colorectal cancer, as the data did not reach statistical significance, suggesting that how the study was designed may affect the results.
People with obesity have a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer, and this increased risk is greater in men than in women.
People with obesity have a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer, based on findings from many large studies, but the size of this risk varies across groups due to differences in how obesity is measured, who is studied, or other unaccounted factors.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.