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Adult BMI change and risk of Breast Cancer: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2010

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Abstract

Objective

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer mortality among women in the developed world. This study assessed the association between occurrence of breast cancer and body mass index (BMI) change from age 25 to age closest to breast cancer diagnosis while exploring the modifying effects of demographic variables.

Methods

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data were used. Women included were ≥50 years, not pregnant and without a diagnosis of any cancer but breast. The total sample included 2895 women (172 with breast cancer and 2723 controls with no breast cancer diagnosis). Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the OR and 95 % CIs and interaction evaluated by including an interaction term in the model.

Results

Women whose BMI increased from normal or overweight to obese compared to those who remained at a normal BMI were found to have a 2 times higher odds (OR = 2.1; 95 % CI 1.11–3.79) of developing breast cancer. No significant association was observed for women who increased to overweight. However, a more pronounced association was observed in non-Hispanic black women (OR = 6.6; 95 % CI 1.68–25.86) and a significant association observed when they increased from normal to overweight (OR = 4.2; 95 % CI 1.02–17.75).

Conclusions

Becoming obese after age 25 is associated with increased risk of breast cancer in women over 50 years old, with non-Hispanic black women being at greatest risk.

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Funding

Ms. Gathirua-Mwangi is a predoctoral fellow funded by the Training in Research for Behavioral Oncology and Cancer Control Program—R25 (PI: Champion). Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers R25 CA117865-07S1 and K05CA175048. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, 714 N Senate Avenue, Suite EF 209, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA

    Wambui G. Gathirua-Mwangi, Terrell W. Zollinger & Mwangi J. Murage

  2. Training in Research for Behavioral Oncology and Cancer Control Program, Indiana University School of Nursing, National Institutes of Health, CURE Supplement, Indianapolis, USA

    Wambui G. Gathirua-Mwangi

  3. Center for Nursing Research, School of Nursing, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Victoria L. Champion

  4. Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, USA

    Kamnesh R. Pradhan

  5. Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, USA

    Kamnesh R. Pradhan & Victoria L. Champion

Authors
  1. Wambui G. Gathirua-Mwangi
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  2. Terrell W. Zollinger
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  3. Mwangi J. Murage
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  4. Kamnesh R. Pradhan
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  5. Victoria L. Champion
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wambui G. Gathirua-Mwangi.

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Gathirua-Mwangi, W.G., Zollinger, T.W., Murage, M.J. et al. Adult BMI change and risk of Breast Cancer: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2010. Breast Cancer 22, 648–656 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-015-0638-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-015-0638-3

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