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Weight change in middle adulthood and risk of cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort

Christakoudi, Sofia ; Pagoni, Panagiota ; Ferrari, Pietro ; Cross, Amanda J. ; Tzoulaki, Ioanna ; Muller, David C. ; Weiderpass, Elisabete ; Freisling, Heinz ; Murphy, Neil and Dossus, Laure , et al. (2021) In International Journal of Cancer 148(7). p.1637-1651
Abstract

Obesity is a risk factor for several major cancers. Associations of weight change in middle adulthood with cancer risk, however, are less clear. We examined the association of change in weight and body mass index (BMI) category during middle adulthood with 42 cancers, using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort. Of 241 323 participants (31% men), 20% lost and 32% gained weight (>0.4 to 5.0 kg/year) during 6.9 years (average). During 8.0 years of follow-up after the second weight assessment, 20 960 incident cancers were ascertained. Independent of baseline BMI, weight gain (per one kg/year increment) was positively associated with cancer of the corpus... (More)

Obesity is a risk factor for several major cancers. Associations of weight change in middle adulthood with cancer risk, however, are less clear. We examined the association of change in weight and body mass index (BMI) category during middle adulthood with 42 cancers, using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort. Of 241 323 participants (31% men), 20% lost and 32% gained weight (>0.4 to 5.0 kg/year) during 6.9 years (average). During 8.0 years of follow-up after the second weight assessment, 20 960 incident cancers were ascertained. Independent of baseline BMI, weight gain (per one kg/year increment) was positively associated with cancer of the corpus uteri (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.14; 95% confidence interval: 1.05-1.23). Compared to stable weight (±0.4 kg/year), weight gain (>0.4 to 5.0 kg/year) was positively associated with cancers of the gallbladder and bile ducts (HR = 1.41; 1.01-1.96), postmenopausal breast (HR = 1.08; 1.00-1.16) and thyroid (HR = 1.40; 1.04-1.90). Compared to maintaining normal weight, maintaining overweight or obese BMI (World Health Organisation categories) was positively associated with most obesity-related cancers. Compared to maintaining the baseline BMI category, weight gain to a higher BMI category was positively associated with cancers of the postmenopausal breast (HR = 1.19; 1.06-1.33), ovary (HR = 1.40; 1.04-1.91), corpus uteri (HR = 1.42; 1.06-1.91), kidney (HR = 1.80; 1.20-2.68) and pancreas in men (HR = 1.81; 1.11-2.95). Losing weight to a lower BMI category, however, was inversely associated with cancers of the corpus uteri (HR = 0.40; 0.23-0.69) and colon (HR = 0.69; 0.52-0.92). Our findings support avoiding weight gain and encouraging weight loss in middle adulthood.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
BMI change, cancer, middle adulthood, weight gain, weight loss
in
International Journal of Cancer
volume
148
issue
7
pages
1637 - 1651
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85096667805
  • pmid:33038275
ISSN
0020-7136
DOI
10.1002/ijc.33339
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4411a3d7-d562-40d9-b506-97c05465ab72
date added to LUP
2020-12-09 08:42:25
date last changed
2024-06-13 01:35:53
@article{4411a3d7-d562-40d9-b506-97c05465ab72,
  abstract     = {{<p>Obesity is a risk factor for several major cancers. Associations of weight change in middle adulthood with cancer risk, however, are less clear. We examined the association of change in weight and body mass index (BMI) category during middle adulthood with 42 cancers, using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort. Of 241 323 participants (31% men), 20% lost and 32% gained weight (&gt;0.4 to 5.0 kg/year) during 6.9 years (average). During 8.0 years of follow-up after the second weight assessment, 20 960 incident cancers were ascertained. Independent of baseline BMI, weight gain (per one kg/year increment) was positively associated with cancer of the corpus uteri (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.14; 95% confidence interval: 1.05-1.23). Compared to stable weight (±0.4 kg/year), weight gain (&gt;0.4 to 5.0 kg/year) was positively associated with cancers of the gallbladder and bile ducts (HR = 1.41; 1.01-1.96), postmenopausal breast (HR = 1.08; 1.00-1.16) and thyroid (HR = 1.40; 1.04-1.90). Compared to maintaining normal weight, maintaining overweight or obese BMI (World Health Organisation categories) was positively associated with most obesity-related cancers. Compared to maintaining the baseline BMI category, weight gain to a higher BMI category was positively associated with cancers of the postmenopausal breast (HR = 1.19; 1.06-1.33), ovary (HR = 1.40; 1.04-1.91), corpus uteri (HR = 1.42; 1.06-1.91), kidney (HR = 1.80; 1.20-2.68) and pancreas in men (HR = 1.81; 1.11-2.95). Losing weight to a lower BMI category, however, was inversely associated with cancers of the corpus uteri (HR = 0.40; 0.23-0.69) and colon (HR = 0.69; 0.52-0.92). Our findings support avoiding weight gain and encouraging weight loss in middle adulthood.</p>}},
  author       = {{Christakoudi, Sofia and Pagoni, Panagiota and Ferrari, Pietro and Cross, Amanda J. and Tzoulaki, Ioanna and Muller, David C. and Weiderpass, Elisabete and Freisling, Heinz and Murphy, Neil and Dossus, Laure and Turzanski Fortner, Renee and Agudo, Antonio and Overvad, Kim and Perez-Cornago, Aurora and Key, Timothy J. and Brennan, Paul and Johansson, Mattias and Tjønneland, Anne and Halkjær, Jytte and Boutron-Ruault, Marie Christine and Artaud, Fanny and Severi, Gianluca and Kaaks, Rudolf and Schulze, Matthias B. and Bergmann, Manuela M. and Masala, Giovanna and Grioni, Sara and Simeon, Vittorio and Tumino, Rosario and Sacerdote, Carlotta and Skeie, Guri and Rylander, Charlotta and Borch, Kristin Benjaminsen and Quirós, J. Ramón and Rodriguez-Barranco, Miguel and Chirlaque, Maria Dolores and Ardanaz, Eva and Amiano, Pilar and Drake, Isabel and Stocks, Tanja and Häggström, Christel and Harlid, Sophia and Ellingjord-Dale, Merete and Riboli, Elio and Tsilidis, Konstantinos K.}},
  issn         = {{0020-7136}},
  keywords     = {{BMI change; cancer; middle adulthood; weight gain; weight loss}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{1637--1651}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Cancer}},
  title        = {{Weight change in middle adulthood and risk of cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ijc.33339}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/ijc.33339}},
  volume       = {{148}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}