U.S. scientists reported at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society in San Francisco that the death rate from obesity-related cancers in the United States has nearly tripled over the past two decades, according to a report by Science Daily on the 15th.
A research team from Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center conducted an in-depth analysis of 33,572 obesity-related cancer deaths between 1999 and 2020, using mortality data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The study revealed that the related death rate surged from 3.73 cases per million people to 13.52 cases per million. Among the affected groups, women, the elderly, and residents in rural areas were the most severely impacted.
Obesity, a prevalent health issue in the U.S., affects 40.3% of the adult population. The CDC points out that this complex disease, caused by multiple factors including genetics, environment, and hormones, is closely linked to a higher incidence of 13 types of cancers, accounting for approximately 40% of all newly diagnosed cancers in the U.S. each year.
Beyond cancer, obesity significantly increases the risk of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. The research team emphasized that obesity has become a critical risk factor threatening public health, urging targeted measures to address the issue. Specifically, they called for enhanced early screening and improved medical services in high-risk rural areas and regions with limited healthcare resources, where the impact of obesity-related cancers is particularly pronounced.
The findings, presented at a major endocrine conference, highlight the urgent need for public health interventions to curb the rising tide of obesity and its associated health consequences, including the growing burden of cancer mortality.
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