London, Nov 9 Over 100,000 types of cancers are caused by obesity, according to an American study.

Excess body fat makes a person vulnerable to cancer by increasing the amount of hormones like estrogen circulating in the body and disrupting how the body processes insulin, which is linked to higher risk of cancer.

It also triggers low-grade inflammation in the body, which is increasingly being found to play a role in cancer.

Researchers from American Institute for Cancer Research suggest that people should maintain a normal body weight and remain physically active throughout life.

Weight gain after a cancer diagnosis is also likely to affect the outcome, say researchers.

"An increasing number of studies suggest that regular physical activity improves cancer survival, even among survivors who are overweight or obese," the Independent quoted AICR researchers as saying.

"Public awareness of the link between obesity and cancer risk is alarmingly low," said Alice Bender, MS, RD, Nutrition Communications Manager at AICR.

"We are working towards a day when obesity is right up there with tobacco in the public eye," Bender added.

The AICR estimates show that excess body fat is linked to 49pct of endometrial cancers ,35pct of esophageal cancers 28pct of pancreatic cancers, 24pct of kidney cancers, 21pct of gallbladder cancers, 17pct of breast cancers and 9pct of colorectal cancers. (ANI)