About one in three people in America has something called metabolic syndrome. This means they might have high blood pressure, too much sugar in their blood, or be bigger around the middle than is healthy. These things can make it more likely for someone to get heart disease, have a stroke, or get Type 2 diabetes.
Now, scientists are saying there’s another risk to worry about: cancer.
People have known for a while that being overweight can lead to cancer. But a new study, shared in the Cancer Journal, looks at the bigger picture. It says that just having metabolic syndrome itself can make you more likely to get different kinds of cancer. Gerald Denis, a scientist who studies cancer at Boston University, thinks we’re not paying enough attention to this problem in America.
The Broad Impact of Metabolic Syndrome on Cancer Risk
Researchers from China looked at more than 40,000 people. They checked if these people had any of the parts of metabolic syndrome, like high blood pressure, low “good” cholesterol, high fats in their blood, too much sugar in their blood, or a big waistline. To have metabolic syndrome, you need at least three of these issues.
The study followed these people for about 14 years to see who would get cancer. Most of them were around 50 years old. The results? If you have metabolic syndrome, you’re 30% more likely to get cancer later on.
Want to know more about how all these health issues are connected to cancer? Read the full article here.
