Cancer Deaths Linked to Obesity Have Tripled—Here Are the People Most at Risk — Best Life
A sharp increase in cancer deaths linked to obesity is raising alarms among health experts nationwide.
According to a new study presented Sunday at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, deaths from obesity-related cancers have tripled in the United States over the past two decades. These deaths are most prevalent amongst certain populations and areas—here’s everything you need to know.
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Obesity-Related Cancer Deaths Triple in the U.S.Using mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers examined 33,572 U.S. deaths from cancers known to be associated with obesity between 1999 and 2020.
The findings revealed that age-adjusted mortality rates soared from 3.73 to 13.52 per million.
“Obesity is a significant risk factor for multiple cancers, contributing to significant mortality,” said Dr. Faizan Ahmed, lead researcher and physician at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, according to a press release. “This research underscores the need for targeted public health strategies such as early screening and improved access to care, especially in high-risk rural and underserved areas.”
What’s more, the data found that these obesity-related cancer deaths are disproportionately impacting specific populations, including:
The Midwest saw the highest rate of obesity-related cancer deaths, while the Northeast had the lowest.
Surprisingly, Vermont, Minnesota, and Oklahoma reported the highest state-level mortality rates, whereas Utah, Alabama, and Virginia had the lowest.
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13 Common Types of Cancer Related to ObesityObesity, which affects more than 40% of U.S. adults, is linked to a higher risk of 13 different cancers, according to the CDC.
These include:
These types account for 40% of all cancer diagnoses in the country every year.
“For adults, a person with a BMI from 25.0 to 29.9 is considered overweight,” states the CDC. “A person with a BMI that is 30.0 or higher has obesity.”
“Obesity can cause long-lasting inflammation and higher than normal levels of insulin, insulin-like growth factor, and sex hormones,
the CDC states. “These changes may lead to cancer. The risk of cancer increases with the more excess weight a person gains and the longer a person is overweight.”
Of course, cancer is not the only disease linked to obesity, the researchers pointed out. Other concerns include the development of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other serious conditions.
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What You Can DoIf you’re concerned about your risk, experts recommend talking to your doctor about ways to lower your weight through diet, exercise, and/or medications, like GLP-1s. Your primary care doc can also get you set up to have regular cancer screenings, especially if you have a family history of obesity.
In your daily life, there are plenty of tricks you can use to lower your risk. These include opting for whole foods, like fruits, nuts, vegetables, seeds, legumes, and lean proteins, over ultraprocessed foods and sugary drinks, which contribute to weight gain.
You may also consider reaching out to a community health center or weight-loss program in your area for help and guidance.
Overall, it’s important to take obesity—and its link to so many cancers—seriously.
“We need to address this crisis with the same urgency as any other epidemic,” said Ahmed. “Because for many Americans, this is life or death.”
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