Weight & Cancer Risk: How Weight Loss Can Help
- At 61, retired actress Bridget Fonda, Jane Fonda’s niece, is drawing attention for her striking weight transformation and the noticeable boost in confidence she exudes.
- It’s not entirely clear what caused Fonda’s weight loss, but what’s evident is how radiant and confident she appears—and she’s at a lower risk of developing obesity-related cancers.
- According to the American Cancer Society, carrying excess body weight raises a person’s overall likelihood of developing cancer. One of SurvivorNet’s experts notes that “losing weight can significantly lower cancer risk.”
- It’s also important to recognize that obesity-related conditions—such as diabetes and heart disease—can create additional challenges for individuals who have already received a cancer diagnosis.
- Specialists who work with SurvivorNet emphasize the value of consistent physical activity, nutritious eating habits, and effective stress-reduction techniques for people recovering from cancer. They often advise survivors to undergo routine screenings to monitor for any signs of the disease returning.
Fonda, a 61-year-old mom of one, who is married to film composer Danny Elfman, was seen in photos visiting a children’s store in Beverly Glen, California, donning a black coat, crossbody bag, and sneakers, as per the Daily Mail.
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Fonda hasn’t publicly discussed her recent weight loss, but nutritionist Monica Partier shared some insight with the Daily Mail, suggesting she may have shed roughly 75 pounds—a feat “not easy to achieve after the age of 50.”
According to The Independent, Fonda said during an interview with the Los Angeles Times more than 30 years ago, just a few years prior to her retirement in acting, “What is it with my low self-esteem?”
She reportedly said, “Sometimes I feel like I can make myself look the way that I’m happy with, but I get really depressed if I think of the big picture or compare myself to movie stars who are supposed to look like Veronica Lake or Lauren Bacall.
“Like you’ve got to be a model. It’s a weird pressure.”
“I’m trying to be happy with my career. I think I should give myself a break, but I’ve got this bug that rides me. ‘You should be doing better,'” she continued.
“Every time I work, I’m frustrated with my physical inability to catch up to my mental picture.”
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In an earlier interview with MovieMaker, Fonda admitted she often sized herself up in relation to those who motivated her, explaining, I know there was a time when I took myself too seriously. I used to think ‘God, I’m such a goof.’ Now I can have a good chuckle at my own expense. Self-flagellation is interesting for about a second.”
Referring to how she’s been plagued by Salieri Syndrome, leading her to feel overshadowed by another’s achievements and caused her to doubt her own abilities, she added, “That fact has caused sorrow and frustration in my life.
“But now I realize you have to give yourself a break. You come to accept that you might not have that in you. Or you can’t see it in yourself. But when someone else cultivates it, what a great feeling.”
Expert Advice to Live a Healthy Lifestyle
Although it’s unclear how Fonda dropped her excess weight, we want to offer some advise on living a healthy lifestyle.
Dr. Ken Miller, the Director of Outpatient Oncology at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center, shared some guidelines for cancer survivors who are concerned about a recurrence with SurvivorNet:
- Exercise at least two hours a week, and walking counts.
- Eat a low-fat diet.
- Eat a colorful diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. The American Cancer Society recommends aiming for two to three cups of vibrant vegetables and fruits each day.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Studies have shown that being obese can increase your risk for several types of cancer.
Four Rules For Living a Healthy Lifestyle
People, including those diagnosed with cancer, should strive for a healthy lifestyle. Maintaining a proper diet filled with fruits and vegetables and exercising – even minimally – can benefit overall health.
It’s important to note that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says, “Being overweight or having obesity are linked with a higher risk of getting 13 types of cancer.”
WATCH: Coping with body image.
Body weight that exceeds what the body mass index (BMI) deems appropriate for your weight and height can help determine body fat content. Although your BMI can help you learn if you are at a healthy weight, underweight, overweight, or obese, other factors may contribute to your overall health.
Obesity & Cancer Risk
Obesity, which means having too much body fat, increases an individual’s risk of developing a range of dangerous health conditions, including several types of cancer. In addition to increasing the likelihood of developing certain cancers, obesity is associated with worse treatment outcomes.
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Stephen Freedland of Cedars Sinai Medical Center said, “Some of the best data we have is that obesity increases the risk of not just getting prostate cancer, but actually dying from prostate cancer. Obese men are 35 percent more likely to die from prostate cancer.”
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The risk is significant and that’s why Dr. Freedland counsels his patients on small, everyday changes they can make in their diet which can lead to weight loss.
“I’ve studied this area for a while,” Dr. Freedland added. “I’ve talked to a lot of dietitians, and amazingly there are just two things I can get the dietitians to agree on: trans fats are bad and simple sugars are not good.”
While obesity or a person’s high weight will not always cause them to develop cancer, other conditions associated obesity, like diabetes and heart disease, can lead to complications from cancer treatment if a person already has cancer.
In addition, these conditions can sometimes prevent patients from receiving the recommended first-line therapies, as well as increase a patient’s risk of undergoing surgery.
Dr. Andrea Tufano-Sugarman of NYU Langone Health explained to SurvivorNet the benefits of losing weight.
“While all cancers cannot be prevented,” she said, “losing weight is a great way to reduce one’s risk.”
How Can Diet Affect My Cancer Risk?
Dr. Tufano-Sugarman said that this is especially true for women; they lower their risk of developing breast cancer and endometrial cancer when they lose weight and keep it of.
Even without losing weight, adopting a more nutritious diet can help.
“Food choices, independent of weight loss, may also help to reduce risk,” Dr. Tufano-Sugarman said.
“Research has shown that the Mediterranean diet (rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, fish and olive oil) is associated with a decreased risk of cancer. Whereas diets rich in red meat may be associated with an increased risk of colorectal and prostate cancer.”
Protecting Your Inner Beauty and Self-Esteem
Licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin previously explained to SurvivorNet, “Cancer changes who you are both physically and emotionally.” Although Fonda hasn’t battled cancer, her weight-loss journey perfectly illustrates how our health choices can influence our self-esteem.
A study published in Frontiers in Psychology questioned how self-esteem should be considered in cancer patients. Researchers noted cancer patients’ framing of their diagnosis and how they cope with their diagnosis and subsequent treatment impacts their self-esteem throughout their cancer journeys.
“Adaptive adjustment strategies (positive reframing, use of emotional support, active coping, acceptance, and planning) in breast cancer patients were associated with high self-esteem. Social support also appears to be strongly related to self-esteem,” the study says.
Dr. Strongin suggests looking at the part or parts of your body impacted by the cancer or cancer treatment to help you cope with body changes. She recommends creating a regular practice of accepting your body image because it enables you to accept your cancer journey emotionally and physically.
“As you allow yourself to spend more time looking at all of you, you will begin having a new relationship with your body. It may not happen immediately, but you can start honoring and thanking your new body with time.
“Just because the treatment is behind you, the emotional recovery can take longer,” Dr. Strongin adds.
If you find yourself wrestling with your emotions because of a diagnosis, remember you don’t have to go it alone. Your support group is filled with loved ones who are there to help you on your journey.
“The patient or person going through the stressful event should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive stress wave the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support, whether that’s a therapist, friends, family, or both, to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions,” psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik says.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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