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Comparison of anthropometric measurements of adiposity in relation to cancer risk: a systematic review of prospective studies

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Abstract

Purpose

In epidemiology, the relationship between increased adiposity and cancer risk has long been recognized. However, whether the association is the same for measures of abdominal or whole body adiposity is unclear. The aim of this systematic review is to compare cancer risk, associated with body mass index (BMI), an indicator of whole body adiposity, with indicators of abdominal adiposity in studies in which these indicators have been directly measured.

Methods

We conducted a systematic search from 1974 (EMBASE) and 1988 (PubMed) to September 2015 with keywords related to adiposity and cancer. Included studies were limited to cohort studies reporting directly measured anthropometry and performing mutually adjusted analyses.

Results

Thirteen articles were identified, with two reporting on breast cancer, three on colorectal cancer, three on endometrial cancer, two on gastro-oesophageal cancer, two on renal cancer, one on ovarian cancer, one on bladder cancer, one on liver and biliary tract cancer and one on leukaemia. Evidence suggests that abdominal adiposity is a stronger predictor than whole body adiposity for gastro-oesophageal, leukaemia and liver and biliary tract cancer in men and women and for renal cancer in women. Abdominal adiposity was a stronger predictor for bladder and colorectal cancer in women, while only BMI was a predictor in men. In contrast, BMI appears to be a stronger predictor for ovarian cancer. For breast and endometrial cancer, both measures were predictors for cancer risk in postmenopausal women.

Conclusions

Only few studies used mutually adjusted and measured anthropometric indicators when studying adiposity–cancer associations. Further research investigating cancer risk and adiposity should include more accurate non-invasive indicators of body fat deposition and focus on the understudied cancer types, namely leukaemia, ovarian, bladder and liver and biliary tract cancer.

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Acknowledgments

The contribution of JDR was undertaken during a traineeship within the framework of the Leonardo da Vinci programme (2012-LDV-PLM-214). The contribution of AM was undertaken during the tenure of an IARC-Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, supported by the Irish Cancer Society (ICS).

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

      Josefine De Ridder, Koen Van Herck & Inge Huybrechts

    2. GENUD “Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development” Research Group, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain

      Cristina Julián-Almárcegui & German Vicente-Rodríguez

    3. Dietary Exposure Assessment Group (DEX), International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69372, Lyon Cedex 08, France

      Cristina Julián-Almárcegui, Amy Mullee & Inge Huybrechts

    4. Biomarkers Group, International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69372, Lyon Cedex 08, France

      Sabina Rinaldi

    5. Department of Physiatrist and Nursing, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Huesca, Spain

      German Vicente-Rodríguez

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    1. Josefine De Ridder
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    Correspondence to Inge Huybrechts.

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    Josefine De Ridder and Cristina Julián-Almárcegui have contributed equally to this work.

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    De Ridder, J., Julián-Almárcegui, C., Mullee, A. et al. Comparison of anthropometric measurements of adiposity in relation to cancer risk: a systematic review of prospective studies. Cancer Causes Control 27, 291–300 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-015-0709-y

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-015-0709-y

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