Obesity May Increase the Risk of Breast Cancer

Corneluţa Fira-Mladinescu1, Traila Nicola2, Ovidiu Fira-Mladinescu1, Danina Muntean1, Smaranda R. Goţia1, Simona Dragan3, Sorina Doroftei4, and Brigitha Vlaicu1

1 Research Centre of Preventive Medicine, 2 Departments of Oncology, 3 Internal Medicine, and 4 Hygiene, Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara, Romania

Corresponding author: Corneluţa Fira-Mladinescu
    Research Centre of Preventive Medicine
    Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy
    Bd. V. Babeş no. 16–18
    RO-300226 Timişoara, Romania
    Telephone: +40-256-492101
    Fax number: +40-256-220479
    E-mail: mladinescu@umft.ro

CEJOEM 2005, Vol.11. No.4.: 259–263

Key words:
Obesity, body mass index, body fat percentage, breast cancer risk

Abstract:
The aim of the study was to investigate the existence of a causal relationship between overweight/obesity and breast cancer and the presence of a dose–response relationship between anthropometric parameters and the risk of breast cancer. A case-control study was performed in postmenopausal women divided into 2 groups: 120 patients with breast cancer and 150 healthy controls. Anthropometric parameters (height, body mass, skinfold measurements) were used for the calculation of body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage. The caloric intake was also estimated by using a validated food-frequency questionnaire. A strong association of obesity with the risk of breast cancer was found (OR=5.04 for high BMI value and OR=2.64 for high body fat index, p<0.01). The dose–response curves showed that BMI values higher than 27.5 kg/m2 as well as those of body fat index more than 35% increased the risk of breast cancer. These results were further confirmed by the higher caloric intake in patients with breast cancer (11794.2 ± 2020.1 vs. 9928.1 ± 2302.2 kJ×d–1; p<0.01). In conclusion, maintaining healthy body mass by an adequate caloric intake and regular exercise constitutes an important factor which may decrease the risk of breast cancer.

Received: 5 December 2005
Accepted: 14 Marc 2006
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