Childhood Nutrition Affects Cancer Risk
A new study suggests that children who overeat have a higher risk of developing certain cancers in adulthood. Using a national database of health information, the British researchers determined which of the children who participated in that study had developed cancer as adults. They found that higher levels of energy intake in childhood increase the risk of the later development of cancer, not including cancers related to smoking -- these include cancer of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, pancreas, respiratory tract, and urinary tract.
For each increase of 250 calories in a child's typical daily diet, there is a 20% increased risk of death from certain cancers, the researchers calculated. The findings confirm the importance of optimal nutrition in childhood and suggest that the unfavorable trends seen in the incidence of some cancers may have their origins in early life.
British Medical Journal February 14, 1998;316:499-503
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