Central body fatness is a stronger predictor of cancer risk than overall body size

Amanda M. Barberio, Asalah Alareeki, Benjamin Viner, Joy Pader, Jennifer E. Vena, Paul Arora, Christine M. Friedenreich and Darren R. Brenner ()
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Amanda M. Barberio: Alberta Health Services
Asalah Alareeki: University of Calgary
Benjamin Viner: Alberta Health Services
Joy Pader: Alberta Health Services
Jennifer E. Vena: Alberta Health Services
Paul Arora: University of Toronto
Christine M. Friedenreich: Alberta Health Services
Darren R. Brenner: Alberta Health Services

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract The importance of body size versus weight distribution for cancer risk is unclear. We investigated associations between measures of body size and shape and the risk of developing cancer. The study population consisted of 26,607 participants from the Alberta’s Tomorrow Project cohort. Two main measures of body shape and size were examined: i) body mass index (BMI) and ii) waist circumference (WC). Incident cancers were identified via linkage to the Alberta Cancer Registry. Cox proportional hazards models were used. Males and females classified as obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg /m−2) have a 33% and 22% increased risk of all-cancer, respectively, than their normal weight counterparts. Similar all-cancer risk increases are observed for those above sex-specific WC guidelines. Mutual adjustment for WC attenuates the association between BMI and all-cancer risk, especially among females. Central adiposity appears to be a stronger predictor of all-cancer risk than body size.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-08159-w

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