ABSTRACT
The role of obesity in the etiology of the most widespread and common cancers is now established so that in terms of both heart disease and cancer, obesity is the major preventable causal factor. Obesity and all the underlying hormonal changes related to it are linked with a number of very important cancers. The concept of the nutrition transition focuses on large shifts in diet and activity patterns, especially their structure and overall composition. The problem of diabetes is a global one. Clearly related to the increase in diabetes is an equally marked increase in hypertension and all other forms of heart disease and key cancers also. Concomitant shifts in physical activity are universally seen. These shifts have occurred more slowly in higher income countries while among the lower and middle income countries these changes have typically been seen only in the past two decades.
