WOMEN in Dorset are being encouraged to get active as figures reveal those who are obese have a 40 per cent greater risk of developing cancer.

Research by Cancer Research released today shows that a fifth of women in the South West are obese.

Obesity increases a woman’s risk of developing at least seven types of cancer – including bowel, post-menopausal breast, gallbladder, womb, kidney, pancreatic and oesophageal cancers.

Helen Johnstone, Cancer Research UK spokesman for the South West, said: “Losing weight isn’t easy, but women don’t have to join a gym and run miles every day or give up their favourite food forever.

“Just making small changes that can be maintained in the long term can have a real impact.”

Dr Julie Sharp, head of health information at Cancer Research UK, said: “We know that our cancer risk depends on a combination of our genes, our environment and other aspects of our lives, many of which we can control - helping people understand how they can reduce their risk of developing cancer in the first place remains crucial in tackling the disease.

“Lifestyle changes, like not smoking, keeping a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet and cutting back on alcohol – are the big opportunities for us all to personally reduce our cancer risk. Making these changes is not a guarantee against cancer, but it stacks the odds in our favour.”