Ditch sugary drinks and slash the risk of developing 13 types of cancer.
That's the message from the Cancer Council Victoria which launched a new awareness campaign on Tuesday in a bid to highlight the link between obesity and the devastating disease.
A third of Victorians admit drinking more than a litre of sugary drink a week, experts say, which could lead to the build up of dangerous toxic fat around internal organs.
Almost 4000 cancer cases in Australia in 2010 were linked to unhealthy weight, while figures show children in Victoria are the most overweight and obese in the country.
Melbourne surgeon Ahmed Aly, who features in the campaign, said obesity is "the single most critical health issue of our time".
"We want people to realise they could be drinking their way towards weight gain, obesity and toxic fat, increasing their risk of 13 types of cancer," he said.
The campaign includes a graphic advert showing what toxic fat looks like inside a patient's body.
