New Delhi: A recent study revealed that obesity at the time of cancer diagnosis in children may significantly impact survival rates. Conducted by researchers at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine in Montreal, Canada, the study underscores the need to address childhood obesity to improve cancer outcomes.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 390 million children and adolescents aged 5–19 years were overweight in 2022, with 160 million classified as obese. Obesity is a known risk factor for various non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.
“Our findings highlight the detrimental effects of obesity across all types of childhood cancers and emphasize the importance of exploring strategies to mitigate its impact in future clinical trials,” said lead researcher Thai Hoa Tran to IANS.
The study analyzed data from 11,291 children aged 2 to 18 years who were newly diagnosed with cancer between 2001 and 2020 across Canada. Among them, 10.5% were identified as obese at the time of diagnosis.
Results showed that children with obesity had lower 5-year event-free survival rates (77.5%) compared to their non-obese counterparts (79.6%). Similarly, overall survival rates were lower for obese patients (83.0% versus 85.9%). After adjusting for variables such as age, sex, ethnicity, neighborhood income, treatment era, and cancer type, obesity was associated with a 16% higher risk of cancer relapse and a 29% greater risk of death.
The impact of obesity was particularly pronounced in children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and brain tumors, the study found.
Published in the journal Cancer, the research calls for urgent measures to address the growing epidemic of childhood obesity. “Reducing obesity in children is critical, as it can have profound and lasting health consequences,” Tran noted to IANS.
This study serves as a reminder of the complex challenges posed by childhood obesity and its far-reaching implications for health outcomes, including cancer prognosis.