There is strong evidence that shows that carrying excess weight throughout adulthood increases the risk of 13 types of cancers, including breast (post-menopausal women), bowel, endometrium, gallbladder, gastric cardia, kidney, liver, meningioma, multiple myeloma, oesophagus, ovary, pancreas and thyroid.
Excess body fat increases insulin resistance, whereby the body produces more insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1, which can promote the growth of cancer cells. Excess body weight can also increase hormone production which is linked to endometrial and breast cancer (post-menopausal).
Cancer Council recommendations
Reduce your risk of cancer by achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight. Aim to maintain the balance between what you eat and drink and how physically active you are.
In particular, aim for a waist circumference of less than 94 cm for men, and 80 cm for women, as waist circumference is a more accurate measure of health status when compared to weight and body mass index (BMI).
Waist circumference and cancer risk
Waist circumference is one way to measure body weight. For some diseases—including post-menopausal breast cancer—fat carried around the abdomen and waist is a greater risk than fat carried on the hips and thighs.
Men should aim for a waist circumference below 94 cm.
Women should aim for a waist circumference below 80 cm
| No elevated risk | Less than 94 cm |
|---|---|
| High risk | 94 – 102 cm |
| Substantially high risk | More than 103 cm |
| No elevated risk | Less than 80 cm or less |
|---|---|
| High risk | 80 – 88 cm |
| Substantially high risk | More than 88 cm |
This webpage was last reviewed and updated in January 2021.
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