Can losing weight protect postmenopausal women against cancer?

Can losing weight protect postmenopausal women against cancer?

A woman's vulnerability to certain types of cancer is known to increase after menopause and finding ways to reduce risk is incredibly important.

According to a new study, females that are overweight or obese during and after menopause can decrease the number of markers for cancer-related inflammation by losing at least five per cent of their body weight.

Dr Anne McTiernan, director of the Prevention Centre at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre, commented: "Both obesity and inflammation have been shown to be related to several types of cancer, and this study shows that if you reduce weight, you can reduce inflammation as well."

The discovery was made when participants were recruited for weight loss intervention and set a goal of ten per cent reduced body weight during the course of a year through diet and exercise.

Researchers then measured levels of C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A, interleukin-6, leukocyte and neutrophil.

It was found each inflammation marker had reduced substantially at the end of the year trial.

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