Why an aspirin a day could help fat people: Daily dose of painkiller slashes risk of bowel cancer

An aspirin a day could help keep cancer away for millions of people who struggle with their weight.

A ten-year study found the popular and inexpensive painkiller dramatically reduced the risk of bowel cancer in obese men and women.

After regularly taking the drug, they were at no higher risk of the disease than people of normal weight.

The men and women studied had a rare genetic disease that put them at high risk of cancer.

But the Newcastle and Leeds University researchers found many ordinary people who are fighting the battle of the bulge could benefit from the finding.

Researcher John Burn, a professor of clinical genetics at Newcastle University said: ‘Lots of people struggle with their weight and this suggests the extra cancer risk can be cancelled by taking an aspirin.’

At least seven types of cancer, including bowel cancer, are fed by obesity and Britain has the highest level of obesity in western Europe.

Rates have trebled in the last 30 years and today, one in four British adults is classed as obese, or so overweight their health is at risk.

Millions more are ‘merely’ overweight.

Read more at: dailymail.co.uk