年轻人由于肥胖问题,患癌率飙升

Being overweight is one of the biggest avoidable causes of cancer. Nowhere is this mow more obvious than in the millennial ?generation where rates of cancer are rising quicker than in their ancestors because they are heavier.

肥胖是癌症最可避免的原因之一。尤为表现在：千禧一代因为体重更重，所以患癌率比其祖先高得多。

Cancers typically occur as we get older, but it's in the under-50s where they're increasing most dramatically, suggesting numbers will soar in decades to come as those people age. As an example, pancreatic cancer cases have risen by six times more in 25 to 29 year olds than in those who are 45 to 49. This is a deeply shocking reversal of medical law.

通常，随着人们年龄的增长，癌症会相伴发生，但现状却是50岁以下的患癌率增长最高，这也意味着随着这些人逐渐变老，几十年内这一数字还会飙升。例如，25至29岁的胰腺癌患者是45至49岁胰腺癌患者的6倍。在医疗规律史上，这是一个惊天大逆转。

Researchers from the American Cancer Society looked at data from nearly 15 million cases involving 30 of the most common cancers, including 12 which are related to obesity.

美国癌症协会的研究员研究了1500万个癌症案例数据，涉及30种最常见的癌症，包括12种与肥胖相关的癌症。

They divided patients into five-year age groups from 25-29 to 80-84 and followed them for 20 years. Researchers found cancers linked to obesity significantly increased over the 20-year period but were surprised to find the steepest rises occurring in younger age groups.

患者年龄相差每隔5岁就被分成一个小组，从25-29岁至80-84岁，并在接下来的20年内，对他们进行随访。研究员发现：与肥胖相关的癌症在20年间显著增加，但更为惊讶的是，年轻群体的患癌率上升最高。

So, how does obesity lead to cancer?

那么，肥胖是如何导致癌症的呢？

Fat cells aren't harmless and they're not neutral. They're active in the body, even toxic. They release inflammatory hormones and pass signals to cells that encourage them to divide and grow, sometimes going on to grow uncontrollably, building up into malignant tumours.

脂肪细胞既不是无害的，也不是中性的。它们在人体内十分活跃，甚至有毒。它们会释放炎症激素，向细胞传递信号鼓励它们分裂、生长。有时候，这些细胞会不受控制的生长，形成恶性肿瘤。

While cases are still far more common in older people, scientists say the growing trend in younger patients is likely to reflect rising obesity levels. "Most cancers occur in older adults, which means that as the young people in our study age, the burden of obesity-related cancer cases and deaths are likely to increase even more," says the study's lead author, Dr Ahmedin Jemal.

虽然老年癌症患者依然更为常见，但科学家表示，年轻患者的增长趋势很有可能反映了肥胖程度的增加。"癌症大多发生在老年人身上，这意味着随着本研究中年轻受试者的年龄增长，与肥胖相关的癌症病例和死亡负担会进一步加重，"研究的主要作者亚曼汀·杰梅尔博士说道。

The research found rates of the blood cancer multiple myeloma, and cancers of the bowel, womb, ?gallbladder, kidney, pancreas and thyroid, all increased in adults aged between 25 and 49. Dr Jemal said: "Death rates have been in decline for most cancers, but in the future, obesity could reverse that progress, barring any interventions."

研究发现，25-49岁的成年人中，血癌多发性骨髓瘤、肠癌、子宫癌、胆囊癌、肾癌、胰腺癌和甲状腺癌的发病率均有所增加。杰梅尔博士说道："大多数癌症的致死率已有所下降，但未来肥胖或逆转这一进程，除非我们采取肥胖干预措施。"