Cancer risk ‘failing to motivate UK people to lose weight’

The threat of contracting cancer is not enough to give many overweight people in the UK enough incentive to shed their excess pounds, according to a Cancer Research UK study.

Nearly two-thirds of overweight Britons said they are struggling to summon the willpower to do anything about their problem, despite knowing that they are at an increased risk of cancer.

Scientists estimate that obesity issues in the UK could be leading to around 19,000 cases of cancer each year, but 87 percent of those polled said they do want to lose weight.

Other than a lack of willpower, key barriers to successful slimming include an excess of other pressing concerns and a failure to lose weight during a previous attempt to do so.

Dr Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK's chief executive, said: "Leading a healthy life doesn't guarantee that a person won't get cancer, but we do know that healthy habits can significantly stack the odds in our favour."

Last month, the organisation published more positive findings showing that premature cancer deaths among Britons in their 50s fell below 14,000 in 2010, the first time this has happened in four decades.