Being overweight or obese is linked to a higher risk of developing 10 common types of cancers, including leukemia, liver, colon, ovarian, and breast cancers, according to a study published in The Lancet.

The World Health Organization reports that cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for approximately 8.2 million deaths in 2012. Lung, stomach, liver, colorectal and breast cancers cause the most cancer deaths annually.

According to researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, it’s estimated that more than 12,000 cases of these types of cancers that are diagnosed each year are linked to a higher body mass index (BMI). As the BMI increases, there could be as many as an extra 3,500 cancer cases every year as a result.

Lead study author Dr. Krishnan Bhaskaran, National Institute for Health Research Postdoctoral Fellow at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, emphasizes the effect of obesity on global health.

“The number of people who are overweight or obese is rapidly increasing both in the UK and worldwide. It is well recognised that this is likely to cause more diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Our results show that if these trends continue, we can also expect to see substantially more cancers as a result,” said Dr. Bhaskaran in a statement.

The researchers found that the risk of uterine cancer increased significantly at higher BMI. For other types of cancers, only modest increases in risks were seen, such as with ovarian and breast cancers. This variation shows that BMI affects the risk of cancer through a variety of processes, depending on the specific type of cancer.

The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research, Wellcome Trust, and Medical Research Council.