Trends in obesity-related cancer burden in Czechia

Obesity is a major lifestyle risk factor that contributes greatly to the burden of disease, including cancer. Overweight and obesity have shown association with several types of cancer. As Czechia is one of the most overweight countries in Europe, and has high cancer mortality, this study aims to investigate the country’s long-term burden of obesity-related cancer.

Using the Czech National Cancer Register and the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), standardized incidence and mortality rates were calculated for 12 types of cancer related to obesity for the years 1985–2018. Population attributable fractions (PAF) were calculated. Finally, the standardized attributable rates were calculated from the standardized incidence and mortality rates and the PAFs.

Approximately 11.0% of selected cancer cases in the male population and 12.3% in the female population were attributable to overweight and obesity in 2018. Since the beginning of the millennium, obesity attributable cancer mortality has dropped, while incidence has remained constant. The incidence throughout the whole period was almost twice as high (18.7 cases per 100,000 population in 2018) in women than in men (10.9 cases per 100,000 population in 2018).

Obesity-related cancer mortality in Czechia has declined in the last two decades, but the incidence has remained constant. Given the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in western countries, this issue needs to be prioritized in future healthcare and policy making.