Weigh-In Shines Light On Cancer-Obesity Link

BOSTON -- You've heard of the Great American Smokeout -- now get ready for the Great American Weigh-In.

It's a national effort to get people to focus on a cause of cancer in this country -- obesity.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity rates have grown from 19 percent of adults in 1997 to 24 percent in 2002.

Workers at an Attleboro, Mass., company got a jump on the event Tuesday by jumping on the scale.

Mark Fontes has lost more than 50 pounds, but he's not done yet. On Tuesday, he stepped on the scale alongside other Texas Instruments employees.

"I just wanted to see if I reached within the range or not. I'm just one point over, so I'm not disappointed; I'm just not there yet," Fontes said.

Fontes has been dieting for a year and goes to Weight Watchers at Work meetings. The American Cancer Society is encouraging others to face facts.

"Not knowing sometimes is easier than getting on the scale," Weight Watchers spokeswoman Kathy Campilio said.

Knowing the number, and losing weight if necessary, could improve your health. Most people understand being overweight is bad for your heart. But the cancer-obesity connection is less known.

"We did a study, and we found that only 1 percent of people surveyed actually knew that there was real link between cancer and nutrition and diet and obesity," American Cancer Society spokeswoman Darlene Habtech-Yimeh said.

The study found that 35 percent of cancer deaths in the country every year can be tied to bad eating habits and excess weight.

Len Lichtenfeld, of the American Cancer Society, said the keys to beating the battle of the bulge are a balanced diet and exercise. He said it's simple to get in some extra walking -- just park the car a little farther away at the supermarket.

"Most of my father's side of the family died from cancer one way or another, so it's got to be there somewhere, so if I can help not get it by losing weight, I'll do it," Fontes said.

He has proven he can lose weight -- now, to really reap the health benefits, he has to keep it off.

"It's not about perfection. It's about reality. It's about things you can do for a lifetime," Campilio said.

The American Cancer Society is sponsoring free weigh in and BMI readings Wednesday at all Weight Watchers locations.