Scientists studied the link between body mass and cancer of the bowel. They followed 200 000 adults for 12 years. The table shows their results. A body mass index of 30.0 kg/m2 or above means that a person is obese.
Table: The number of new cases of cancer of the bowel per 100 000 adults per year, for adults in four groups of body mass index
| Body mass index / kg/m2 | New cases of cancer of the bowel per 100 000 adults per year |
|---|---|
| Below 18.5 | 24 |
| 18.5 to 24.9 | 27 |
| 25.0 to 29.9 | 36 |
| 30.0 and above | 49 |
A health charity wants to tell people that being obese increases the risk of developing cancer of the bowel. Evaluate whether the data in the table support this statement.
179 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Biology 2.2 Animal tissues, organs and organ systems, covering 2.2.1 The human digestive system, 2.2.2 The heart and blood vessels, 2.2.3 Blood, 2.2.4 Coronary heart disease: a non-communicable disease, 2.2.5 Health issues, 2.2.6 The effect of lifestyle on some non-communicable diseases, and 2.2.7 Cancer. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.