New Research Finds Strong Obesity–Cancer Link in Younger Patients (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Obesity has emerged as a leading risk factor for pancreatic cancer among young adults, according to a large-scale South Korean study that underscores growing health concerns tied to weight gain in people in their 20s and 30s.
Researchers from Samsung Medical Center and Korea University Ansan Hospital tracked more than 6.3 million adults aged 20 to 39 who underwent national health screenings between 2009 and 2012, following them for a decade. The study, released Tuesday, found that the risk of pancreatic cancer rose steadily with increases in body mass index, or BMI.
During the follow-up period through the end of 2020, 1,533 participants were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Compared with people of normal weight, those who were overweight faced a 39 percent higher risk of developing the disease. Among individuals classified as severely obese — with a BMI of 30 or higher — the risk nearly doubled.
The researchers said excess body fat can trigger chronic inflammation and insulin resistance, conditions that stimulate abnormal pancreatic cell growth and create an environment more favorable to cancer development. Notably, the elevated risk appeared as early as the overweight stage, even before individuals reached clinical obesity.
“Preventive weight management should begin well before obesity,” said Hong Jung-yong, a hematology-oncology specialist at Samsung Medical Center and a co-author of the study. “Early intervention during the overweight stage may be one of the most effective ways to reduce pancreatic cancer risk among younger adults.”
The findings were published in the latest issue of the European Journal of Cancer and add to mounting evidence linking rising obesity rates to cancers once considered rare among younger populations.
As pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest malignancies, with limited early symptoms and low survival rates, the researchers emphasized that lifestyle-based prevention may play a critical role in reducing future disease burden.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
