Over the past three decades, Americans’ rates of overweight and obese have steadily increased. It has been suggested that childhood obesity may increase the risk of cancer in adulthood. Much literature has focused on specific cancers or the mechanisms of obesity and its sequelae. Consequently, a systematic review is needed to more fully examine the relationship between childhood obesity and adult-related cancers. This review examined the evidence of the obesity and cancer relationship. A secondary aim was to determine the adult cancers most associated with childhood obesity. PubMed and Cinahl were searched during the fall of 2014. Criteria for inclusion were peer-reviewed articles published within the last ten years and included variables of interest of childhood obesity and adult-related cancer. Possible bias may be present because of intra-rater reliability. Other forms of bias could be from no unpublished articles or books being included and the review being science-oriented. Thirty out of a possible 658 articles were chosen for final review based on established parameters and applicability of information. Strong evidence was found supporting a link between childhood and adolescent obesity and specific types of adult cancers. A positive association was found with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and thyroid cancer in males and females; esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and colorectal adenoma in women; and renal cell carcinoma and colon cancer in males. A negative association was found with premenopausal breast cancer in women. Limited evidence of a positive association was found with colorectal and kidney cancers in males and females, and conflicting evidence was found for postmenopausal breast cancer in women. This review supports a link between childhood obesity and adult-related cancers and shows how these relationships may differ by gender. This review demonstrates the importance of efforts for early childhood obesity prevention to mitigate negative health outcomes later in life.No embargoAcademic Major: Nursin
