You've already heard that obesity is on the rise in the United States. There is also mounting evidence that obesity increases the risk of some types of cancers, such as colorectal cancer and post-menopausal breast cancer. A recent review of cancer screening studies published online by the American Cancer Society showed that Caucasian women who are obese are less likely to get the recommended screenings for breast and cervical cancer than healthy weight women.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Public Health reviewed 32 published studies on breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer that examined the relationship between obesity and cancer screening tests. They found that, as body mass index increased, the likelihood of getting the recommended screening test for cervical cancer (called a Papanicolaou, or Pap, test) decreased. They also found that obese white women had a lower rate of screening mammograms for breast cancer.

The researchers were not able to determine the reasons why women with a higher body mass index are not getting screened as frequently for breast and cervical cancer. Because of their increased risk for certain cancers, women who are overweight, and the physicians who treat them, should be more aware of this apparent trend. Particularly because early detection of breast and cervical cancer offers the opportunity for early treatment and the potential for longer survival.