Study: High-Calorie Diet, Obesity, Lack of Exercise Hike Rectal Cancer Risk

A high-calorie diet, a low level of physical activity and obesity are factors that boost the odds of rectal cancer, with a combination of all three resulting in the greatest increase in risk, according to a report in the International Journal of Cancer.

Canadian researchers conducted a study of 1,447 rectal cancer patients and 3,106 people without cancer ranging in age from 20 to 76 years to assess the effect of recreational physical activity, caloric intake and obesity on rectal cancer risk.

A high caloric intake increased the risk by more than 50 percent for both women and men, closely followed as a risk factor by obesity, which was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30.

Interestingly, total dietary fat intake was not found by the researchers to increase the risk of rectal cancer.

"The greatest increase in rectal cancer risk was observed in men and women with simultaneous high [caloric] intake, high BMI and low physical activity," the researchers reported.

"Our study provides evidence that physical inactivity, high [caloric] intake and obesity are associated with the risk of rectal cancer, and there is a probable synergic effect among the three risk factors," the researchers concluded.

Other Sources: International Journal of Cancer