But it is known that obesity is a major risk factor in heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.
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Because LDL cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease, it's the main focus of cholesterol-lowering treatment.
Furthermore, alcohol consumption, the other major risk factor for esophageal cancer, also appears to be lower among African Americans.
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And general atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and heart failure.
Roughly 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. has hypertension, which is a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, and kidney problems.
According to the National Cancer Institute, oral contraceptives have been shown to increase the risk of cervical cancer, although human papillomavirus is the major risk factor for the disease.
While obesity is a major risk factor for heart disease as well as other diseases like diabetes and even cancer, obese patients seem to have a survival benefit in certain situations.
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This is based on estimates of the impact on inactivity on coronary heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and two specfic cancers - breast and bowel - where lack of exercise is a major risk factor.
"This is a fascinating and careful piece of research which could lead to important new avenues in treating this chronic gastric infection which is a major risk factor for stomach cancer, " said Dr Richard Sullivan, its head of clinical programmes.
"That risk can be reduced by simple lifestyle changes, such as not smoking, drinking alcohol sensibly, exercising regularly and eating a healthy, balanced diet to reduce the risk of obesity - a major contributory factor increasing the risk of diabetes and eventually cardiac disease, " he added.
Compliance is another major factor fueling the interest in risk analytics.
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Additionally, the lack of a dividend could be a major factor if higher energy prices curb risk appetite.
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"Thus, E-4 appears as a risk factor for both heart disease and Alzheimer's disease, two major causes of mortality and morbidity at advanced ages, " Francois Schachter and his colleagues at the Center for the Study of Human Polymorphisms, a genetic-research center in Paris, conclude in a report.
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