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Increasing Body Mass Index Tied to 18 Site-Specific Cancers in Men

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Dec 13, 2023.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 13, 2023 -- Increasing body mass index (BMI) at age 18 years is associated with development of subsequent site-specific cancers in men, according to a study published online Nov. 6 in Obesity.

Aron Onerup, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, and colleagues examined BMI at age 18 years and incident site-specific cancer (malignant melanoma; leukemia; myeloma; Hodgkin lymphoma; non-Hodgkin lymphoma; and cancer in the lungs, head and neck, central nervous system, thyroid, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver and gallbladder, colon, rectum, kidney, and bladder) to estimate population attributable fractions due to BMI based on projected obesity prevalence. The analysis included 1.5 million men.

The researchers found that 78,217 men subsequently developed cancer during a mean 31 years of follow-up. There was a linear association between BMI and the risk for developing all 18 site-specific cancers assessed. In some instances, there was an association even with BMI levels usually defined as normal (20 to 25 kg/m2). For prostate cancer, there was an inverse association observed, with higher BMI associated with lower risk. Gastrointestinal cancers had the highest hazard ratios and population attributable fractions.

"If current obesity trends continue, our findings provide additional support for rapid action to stem the course of the obesity epidemic and, with a large prevalence of youth overweight and obesity already in existence, to prepare the health care system for a steeply increasing number of cancer cases,” the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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Posted December 2023

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