A NEW campaign is being launched in the south today to raise awareness of the link between obesity and cancer.

According to Cancer Research UK, obesity is set to overtake smoking as the biggest preventable cause of the disease among women in the UK in 25 years’ time.

Part of the problem is that some of the most common weight-related cancers, such as breast cancer, mainly affect women.

Being overweight or obese as an adult increases the risk of 13 different types of cancer including bowel and kidney cancer, but only about one in seven people are aware of the link.

Cancer Research UK’s month-long awareness campaign includes huge posters at prominent sites across the region.

They aim to highlight the gaps in people’s knowledge, with missing letters in the word “obesity” challenging the public to guess the biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking.

Jenny Makin, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for the south east, said: “Fifty years ago most people didn’t know that smoking causes cancer.

“Today we’re bringing the link between obesity and cancer to the public’s attention to ensure people are aware of the facts.

“With the bombardment of junk food marketing and the high calorific content of many readily available foods, there are so many things working against us when it comes to keeping a healthy weight.

“Our campaign hopes to encourage government action to tackle obesity through changes which will make it easier for all of us to make healthy choices.”

Professor Linda Bauld, Cancer Research UK’s prevention expert, added: “Obesity is a huge public health threat, and it will only get worse if nothing is done.

“The government must reduce the number of weight-related cancers by making it easier to keep a healthy weight and protect children, as those who are overweight are five times more likely to be so as an adult.

“We are calling for measures to protect children like a ban on junk food adverts before 9pm and for restrictions on price promotions of ‘less healthy’ products.

“The decline in smoking is a cause for celebration.

“It shows how decades of effort to raise awareness about the health risks plus strong political action including taxation, removing tobacco marketing and a ban on smoking in indoor public places, have paid off.”