Just because you look skinny doesn't mean you aren't in danger. Check your body-fat%!!!

Obesity causes 100,000 U.S. cancer cases a year
Too much body fat linked to wide range of the disease, researchers say

WASHINGTON - Obesity causes more than 100,000 cases of cancer in the United States each year — and the number will likely rise as Americans get fatter, researchers said on Thursday.

Having too much body fat causes nearly half the cases of endometrial cancer — a type of cancer of the uterus — and a third of esophageal cancer cases, the American Institute for Cancer Research said.

Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States after heart disease. The American Cancer Society projects that 1.47 million people will be diagnosed with cancer this year and 562,000 will die of it.

More than 26 percent of Americans are obese, defined as having a body mass index of 30 or higher. BMI is equal to weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. A person 5 feet 5 inches tall becomes obese at 180 pounds (82 kg).

Additionally, nearly a third of Americans are overweight, defined as having a BMI of 25 to 30.
The study combined findings from AICR research linking diet, physical activity and fatness with cancer risk with national surveys on obesity and cancer incidence.

"We then worked out the percentage of those specific cancers that would be prevented if everyone in the United States maintained a healthy weight," the group said in a statement.

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H1N1 victims who end up in the hospital.

Early Show contributor Dr. Holly Phillips of WCBS-TV
sat down with Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith to discuss the connection.

According to Phillips, the numbers are very interesting.

"Of the 268 hospitalized patients for whom we had weights, actually 58 percent of them were obese. And 25 percent of that group were considered morbidly obese," Phillips explained. "Now, that's more than 100 pounds overweight, so they were significantly overweight and they were at five times increased risk of complications from the H1N1 flu than the general population."

CBSNews.com Special Report: H1N1
Read more about Healthy Living
Parents' Guide to H1N1

Obesity and especially morbid obesity can be particularly dangerous.

"Very much so. Morbid obesity in this context was thought to be as much of a risk factor, even more than pregnancy, which we know is a six times increased risk for complications. So it's really a serious risk factor and something we need to look closer at," Phillips explained.

"And so what's the take away here, what do we really need to understand?" Smith asked.

"What the study - they couldn't look at exactly what was causing the complications in the morbidly obese population, but we do know people who are obese are at increased risk of having underlying illnesses, diabetes, heart problems, and respiratory problems. And that can place them at increase risk for H1N1," Phillips said.

"A third of the patients who are morbidly obese did have underlying complications, so this makes it seem as though obesity itself may be a risk factor for having these problems with the H1N1 flu," she added.

Phillips also pointed out that this correlation is different than the seasonal flu.

"We never thought before that obesity was a risk factor for complication with the seasonal flu, but H1N1 is proving it different," she said.

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Is Obesity a Risk Factor for H1N1 Illness?
07/13/2009

The July 10, 2009 issue of the CDC’s MMWR features a report on the clinical characteristics of a series of 10 patients with novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection and ARDS at a tertiary-care ICU in Michigan.

Of the 10 patients, nine were obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥30), including seven who were extremely obese (BMI ≥40); five had pulmonary emboli; and nine had multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Three patients died. Clinicians should be aware of the potential for severe complications of novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection, particularly in extremely obese patients.

In April 2009, CDC reported the first two cases in the United States of human infection with a novel influenza A (H1N1) virus (1). As of July 6, a total of 122 countries had reported 94,512 cases of novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection, 429 of which were fatal; in the United States, a total of 33,902 cases were reported, 170 of which were fatal. Cases of novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection have included rapidly progressive lower respiratory tract disease resulting in respiratory failure, development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) admission (2). Since April 26, communitywide transmission of novel influenza A (H1N1) virus has occurred in Michigan, with 655 probable and confirmed cases reported as of June 18 (Michigan Department of Community Health [MDCH], unpublished data, 2009). To read the full MMWR report, “Intensive-Care Patients With Severe Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection: Michigan, June 2009,”

- http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm58d0710a1.htm

1 in 4 americans are obese - you can say your skinny but if your squishy - your as liable toward sickness and death as some visually obese person.

Anyone can be at risk for the H1N1 virus

Especialy Cancer patients..they might be already immunocomprosmised with radiotherapy/chemo but they are generally unwell. Same as elderly patients, children who immune system can be low.

Also obesity can be a risk factor to alot of other illness, due to the increase in body fat and decrease in excercise. obese people would typically have trouble breathing deeply as their fat around their chest wall can restrct it..and if they don't breath properly and clear phelgm etc...chest infections can develop etc... not just H1 N1

but also H1 N1 attacked alot of healthy young people...majority of the time is if your immune state is low you will be at a higher risk... i remember there was a study they the more stressed you are, your immune system is compromised as well

actually, accurately....
it is the immune state's that is the one predisposing you to H1N1.

The thing is ... obesity is linked with a lot of diseases that can bring down your immunity.
For instance, Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Cardiovascular disease ....

Cancer patient of course is predisposed too. In fact, especially those undergoing chemotherapy.
Their immunity is so low that anything can infect them.

Kids and pregnant women is also at risk.
because kids' immunity havent developed and well .... pregnancy is a burden to the body already.

In H1N1 prevention, the best method is to wash your hand all the time.
Because .... even though this virus is transmitted airborne, but you really need to be
close to the patient (source of infection) to get it. And this virus wont last in the
external environment a day.

The normal mask won't work also. You need those thick thick ones.
haha

What I would say is ...
just build up your immune system.
Exercise more, be more happy, eat more veggy and fruits.
and dont be so anxious.

Technically speaking, in a year ... more people die from cardio disease compared with H1N1
and the percentage of death in the total number of patient is quite low too (depending on country)

yea i feel like anyone can be at risk for the swine flu as well. according to my doctor anyone who is under the age of 24 is also in the high risk category. i was a bit surprised that i could get the h1n1 shot before my mom who's diabetic and ended up with pneumonia from catching the swine flu.

You know its a good thread when dafleur chimes in with comics! <3