Obesity can be a culprit for a startling number of health conditions: diabetes, heart disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and a number of cancers, including esophageal cancer.

Not only can obesity raise your risk of getting esophageal cancer, it can also increase your risk of dying from the disease. Studies have shown that obese men are 50-percent more likely to die from esophageal cancer than men at a healthy body weight.

Esophageal Cancer and Being Overweight: The Risk

Obesity increases the risk of esophageal cancer, particularly adenocarcinoma esophageal cancer, in several ways. For one, being obese increases your risk for GERD, a condition believed to cause up to 30 percent of adenocarcinoma esophageal cancer cases.

In many cases, people who are obese may not be eating enough cancer-fighting fruits and vegetables. That means they are packing in the calories with unhealthy foods while neglecting those that are important for cancer prevention.

When you carry extra weight, your stomach suffers from too much pressure inside. This pressure can cause the lower esophageal sphincter, which keeps stomach acids where they belong — in the stomach — to open up and allow the acids to reach the esophagus. Every time you eat pizza, a cheeseburger, or another fatty food, or you help yourself to a couple of extra servings, the same thing can happen. When your esophagus is exposed to stomach acids too frequently, it can lead to GERD, and ultimately to esophageal cancer.

Esophageal Cancer and Being Overweight: The Research

Studies have noted an association between obesity and increased risk for a number of cancers, including esophageal cancer. In fact, researchers believe that obesity and a lack of exercise may be the cause of up to 25 or 30 percent of the most common types of cancer.

Although there haven't been clinical trials to see if maintaining a healthy body weight will prevent esophageal cancer completely, a number of other studies show a definite benefit in the risk reduction of esophageal cancer in people who maintain a healthy weight. Additionally, a few small studies have indicated that weight loss may help reduce the risk of some cancers, but more research is needed on the subject of weight loss and its affect on cancer risk.

Esophageal Cancer and Being Overweight: Weight Loss Goals

If you are overweight or obese, it's wise to take steps to shed those pounds until you hit the goal of a healthy body weight for your height. If you suffer from GERD, excess weight can make the reflux worse, leading to serious damage to the esophagus. The same goes for people who have esophageal cancer and are obese — particularly men — working to drop the weight can only benefit overall health and the impact of esophageal cancer treatments.

If you are obese and are being treated for esophageal cancer, talk to your doctor about a weight-loss program that will be safe for you during treatment. Weight loss often occurs as a result of esophageal cancer because swallowing becomes so difficult, so you'll need to consider that before starting any diet. You should also meet with a registered dietitian who can help come up with a safe and healthy meal plan that gives you the right amount of calories and nutrients while still being manageable to swallow.

A healthy body weight can help protect your body from many illnesses, including esophageal cancer. The foods to help you get there, such as lean meats, whole grains, and fresh fruit and vegetables, are also an important part of an esophageal cancer prevention plan. Find some new healthy recipes to get started eating better and choose an exercise plan that you enjoy — it might make all the difference in protecting your body against esophageal cancer.

Learn more in the Everyday Health Esophageal Cancer Center.