Weight cycling not associated with increased risk of cancer

the Oncology Nurse Advisor take:

Weight cycling is not associated with overall risk of cancer in men or women, a new study published online ahead of print in the American Journal of Epidemiology has shown.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from 62,792 men and 69,520 women included in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort in 1992 to investigate the association between weight cycling, repeated cycles of intentional weight loss and regain, and cancer incidence.

Researchers found that during a follow-up of 17 years, 15,333 men and 9,984 women developed cancer. Results showed that weight cycling was not linked with an overall risk of cancer in men or women. Among the 15 individual cancers assessed, no cancer was associated with weight cycling.

"For the millions of Americans struggling to lose weight, the last thing they need to worry about is that if it comes back, they might raise their risk of cancer," said Victoria Stevens, PhD, American Cancer Society Strategic Director, Laboratory Services.

"This study, to our knowledge the largest and most comprehensive to date on the issue, should be reassuring. Our findings suggest that overweight and obese individuals shouldn't let fears about their ability to maintain weight loss keep them from trying to lose weight in the first place."