Professor warns that alarming rate of obesity across the world will trigger huge rise in disease

Cancer cases are now rising at such a rate in Britain and the rest of the world that the disease poses a threat to humanity comparable to climate change, a leading scientist has warned. The growing obesity epidemic in industrialised countries will be highlighted this week as a leading cause of cancer in a policy report led by Sir Michael Marmot, professor of epidemiology and public health at University College London. About seven million people die from cancer worldwide each year, according to the most recent estimate by the World Cancer Research Fund, expected to rise to more than 10 million by 2020. The estimated number of new cases annually is set to increase from 10 million now to 16 million by 2020. Overall the toll is predicted to double in the next 40 years. “It’s enormous, it’s catastrophic,” said Marmot, who said the crisis demanded urgent action. “The numbers are just frightening on a global scale. After cardiovascular disease, it’s the next highest cause of death in this country.” Just as global warming requires a quick and concerted international response, so Marmot believes that cancer now requires intervention on a similar scale. “With the same sense of urgency that at long last we’re now starting to address the climate change agenda, let’s address the cancer agenda because we think a large proportion of those cancer deaths are preventable or could be delayed. It’s urgent to be taking action now,” he said.

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/feb/22/cancer-obesity-link