A new study has found that 11 types of cancer are on the rise in the 20 to 49-year-old age group, with obesity emerging as a significant driver behind the escalating rates among individuals under the age of 50.
The 11 cancers were thyroid, multiple myeloma, liver, kidney, gallbladder, colorectal, pancreatic, endometrial, oral, breast and ovarian cancers.
All of the 11 cancers identified, other than oral cancer, are known to be linked to excess weight, the researchers said.
While researchers caution that obesity does not fully explain the trend and further evidence is required, scientists believe that being overweight or obese plays a crucial role, potentially due to elevated levels of insulin and inflammation.
Concerns have been mounting in recent years over the increasing incidence of cancers, such as bowel and ovarian, in young adults.
Experts at the Institute of Cancer Research, London (ICR) and Imperial College London conducted the new study. (Independent)