A sedentary lifestyle, high alcohol intake and a junk food diet all contribute to obesity. One of the most direct causes of weight gain, however, is consuming drinks and processed foods that are high in sugar.

One of the cancers most clearly linked to obesity is colorectal cancer, the third most common cancer to be diagnosed in American men and women, and the third leading cause of cancer-related death. Though the death rate from colorectal cancer has been dropping in recent decades – most likely thanks to early detection methods – the actual number of people being diagnosed with this form of cancer continues to increase.