Obesity & Cancer Risk
- Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and her mom have taken part in a paid partnership campaign ad for Mounjaro, an FDA-approved drug intended to manage blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. And the new ad campaign comes as a new study has found major increase in GLP-1 drug prescriptions being used to treat obesity.
- It’s evident that weight loss injections like Ozempic (semaglutide), Wegovy, (semaglutide), and Zepbound/Mounjaro (tirzepatide) are becoming more popular, but it’s also important to understand obesity’s link to cancer.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says, “Being overweight or having obesity are linked with a higher risk of getting 13 types of cancer.” Some of these cancers include breast, colon, ovarian, and stomach (gastric).
- The National Cancer Institute (NCI) says fat tissue “produces excess amounts of estrogen,” which is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers, including breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancer. Obesity is associated with high levels of insulin, which can lead to colon, kidney, prostate, and endometrial cancer.
- If you’re considering taking a weight loss drug, talk with your care team about whether that’s a good option for you. And make sure you consider good diet and exercise practices as a part of your treatment plan.
Iconic gymnast Simone Biles and her 74-year-old mom Nellie have been featured in a new ad campaign for injectable prescription medicine Mounjaro, an FDA-approved drug intended to manage blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes, as a new study has shown a major increase in GLP-1 drug prescriptions being used to treat obesity. The 27-year-old athlete—who has obtained a total of 37 Olympic and World Championship medals, and previously took a
mental health break from her beloved sport—shared the paid partnership video ad in a recent Instagram
post , writing, "It’s always so exciting to get to work with my mom, especially on something so personal to us." Biles' mom Nellie, who has diabetes but is not on the drug herself, is seen at the start of the ad saying, "My daughter works hard, and so do people with type 2 diabetes. But if their efforts aren't enough, could people do diabetes differently?"
As her daughter is seen performing a floor routine, her mom, a retired nurse, is seen walking confidently, as a woman voice over says, "They can with once-weekly
Mounjaro . 3 out of 4 people reached an A1C of less than 7%. Plus people taking Mounjaro lost up to 25 pounds.
RELATED: Weight Loss Revolution: Incredible New Drugs Could Lead to Reduction in Cancer Incidence, Some Doctors Predict "Mounjaro is not for people with type 1 diabetes or children. Don't take Mounjaro if you're allergic to it, you or your family have medullary thyroid cancer, or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2. Stop Mounjaro and call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction, a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, vision changes, or diabetic retinopathy. Serious side effects may include pancreatitis and gallbladder problems." Adding, "Taking Mounjaro with sulfonylurea or insulin raises low blood sugar risk. Tell your doctor if you're nursing, pregnant, or plan to be. Side effects include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which can cause dehydration and may worsen kidney problems."
RELATED: How Is Gymnast Simone Biles Doing After Stepping Back From Competition to Care for Her Mental Health? Following the description of the drug's summary and warning, Biles says, "You can do diabetes differently with Mounjaro," before the voice over adds, "Ask your doctor about once-weekly Mounjaro. Paid partnership with Lilly." Biles, who has become an advocate for her mom's health and others living with type 2 diabetes, was seen in the campaign ad just as she was set to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The ad campaign also comes as a new, nationwide and population-based study, published in
Annals of Internal Medicine , found that GLP-1RA medications created to help patients with type 2 diabetes, which were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2021, have led to a spike in these drug prescriptions for weight loss management.
According to
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center , the one of the study's authors, Dr. Ali Rezaie, medical director of the Cedars-Sinai GI Motility Program and director of bioinformatics at the Medically Associated Science and Technology (MAST) program at Cedars-Sinai, said in a statement, "Essentially, after the medication was approved for obesity, GLP-1RA use took off so quickly that we lost control and vision of how fast people were picking up these medications, and the trends of use are uncertain. "While GLP1-RAs offer several benefits, they are also associated with various common and uncommon side effects, necessitating careful monitoring of their prescription patterns." Researchers involved in the study looked into medical records of approximately 45 million individuals across the U.S. between 2011 through 2023, all who had at least one inpatient or outpatient visit. The study looked into about 1 million new users of the prescribed GLP-1RA drug and deciphered whether it was being taken for diabetes, obesity, or another health condition.
RELATED: 16 States Now Have Adult Obesity Rates At or Above 35%. What Does This Mean for Cancer Risk and Treatment? During the 12 years of medical records, researches found most people who took semaglutide were non-Hispanic white, female, and had a BMI of 30 or higher. The study also noted that number people who used the drug for type 2 diabetes decreased. Dr. Rezaie added, "On the contrary, new GLP-1RA prescriptions among those with obesity or relevant comorbid conditions without type 2 diabetes doubled, with a notable uptick in medication use especially since 2020. Another author of the study, Yee Hui Yeo, MD, who is also a clinical fellow in the Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Cedars-Sinai, added, "This data suggests that more health care providers are seeing the benefits of these medications for treating obesity, which is a significant public health shift.
RELATED: Blockbuster Weight Loss Drugs Have ‘Enormous Potential’ In Cancer Prevention, New Research Reveals "However, it also raises concerns about potential medication shortages and the need to ensure that patients with diabetes still have access to these treatments."
Expert Resources On Healthy Living
Meanwhile, another
recent study has discovered that eating nuts in a calorie deficit won't affect weight loss, it will promote it—offering hope for anyone looking to lose weight a more natural weight, or for those taking GLP-1 drugs along with a healthy diet and exercise routine. The study authors concluded that "nuts are a nutrient-rich snack that can help achieve recommended intakes of essential nutrients during energy restriction and therefore should be included in future ER weight loss diets."
RELATED: What You Need to Know About Obesity It’s important to note there are a various types of drugs available right now for weight loss, like Nova Nordisk’s semaglutide—sold under brand names Ozempic, Weygovy, and Rybelsu—and Tirzepatide, sold under the brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound. Others include Phentermine (Adipex-P, Lomaira), a prescription medication which lessens one’s appetite, Contrave (naltrexone/bupropion), and bupropion (the generic form of Wellbutrin).
Cancer Risk and Obesity
Bodyweight can be a sensitive subject for many people on any given day. However, among cancer patients whose treatment and diagnosis may influence their weight, the numbers on the scale fuel an already emotional journey. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (
CDC ) says, “"Being overweight or having obesity are linked with a higher risk of getting 13 types of cancer.” Research published in the journal “
Cancers ” says that “Obesity also increases the risk of dying from cancer and may influence the treatment choices. About 4–8% of all cancers are attributed to obesity.” Some of the cancers associated with being overweight or obese include:
- Colon
- Breast
- Ovarian
- Esophagus
- Pancreatic
- Multiple myeloma
- Endometrial
- Liver
WATCH: Living a healthy lifestyle. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), fat tissue “produces excess amounts of estrogen,” which is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers, including breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancer. The NCI says a person who is severely obese is “7 times” more likely to be diagnosed with endometrial cancer. Obesity is associated with high levels of insulin, which can lead to colon, kidney, prostate, and endometrial cancer. Obesity can affect cancer survivors in various ways, including the chance of cancer recurrence and overall quality of life. To learn more about your ideal healthy weight, determine your
body mass index (BMI). Body weight that exceeds what the body mass index deems appropriate for your weight and height can help determine body fat content. Although your BMI can help you learn if you are at a healthy weight, underweight, overweight, or obese, other factors may contribute to your overall health.
How Can Diet Affect My Cancer Risk? The NCI analyzed several studies to observe physical activity’s impact on overall cancer risk. The
NCI says that “higher levels of physical activity are linked to lower risk of several types of cancer.” Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and managing stress are some ways people can practice leading a healthy life. For cancer survivors, a healthier lifestyle alongside getting regular checks for recurrence may improve your quality of life.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff 
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